A Race Against Time
by tanglingshadows
Summary: A group of trackers. One target's scent. A continent. This is the Challenge, and Edward Masen is about find out that in world ruled by vampires, there's no such thing as secrets. AU
1. Chapter 1

Ch.1: One More Year

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

This is rated M for a reason.

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The steam from the shower filled the room and her scent swirled around me. I stood in the doorway and listened to her hum as the water cascaded down her shoulders. I wasn't expected home for a couple more days, so she didn't know I was there.

My business in Volterra hadn't taken up as much time as I had anticipated, and for that I was equal parts grateful and despondent. The Volturi had been kind enough to let me know that I would be participating in this years Challenge. I sighed deeply as I thought about what that would entail; more time away from Bella.

I shook my head and once again thought that our worlds never should have merged. But alas, I wasn't around when the brothers took over. Sometime toward the end of the Dark Ages, the three Volturi Kings decided that the world would be a better place if vampires ruled over the humans. At the time, it made sense. The fall of the Roman Empire had created havoc all over Europe. Tribes warred with each other; took land that wasn't theirs and beat down rivals. No one was safe. The Volturi intervened, and in a well-planned and executed attack, all the tribal leaders were destroyed and a new Volturi run world emerged, along with the Renaissance.

Apparently, the brothers had suffered too long without any new art.

As the centuries went by, the Volturi's methods were perfected to the point that humans went about their everyday lives normally. They worked, they had friends, they went out to parties and movies, but they knew, without question, that they could "disappear" in an instant. It wasn't the best way to live, but it could have been worse. There were some members of the government that wanted to enslave the humans and treat them like chattel.

Outwardly, I remained neutral on the subject. If I were to tell them the truth, I would be executed and Bella wouldn't stand a chance when they found her. If I were honest, I would push for more human rights, but mostly, I would beg for the allowance of marriage between human and vampire. Bella would still be changed, but if I had been able to marry her, she wouldn't have been forced to live as if she were my mistress for the last five years.

_One more year and I'll turn her and tie myself to her in every way possible_. _One more year._ It had become my mantra since I'd left Volterra the night before.

I let myself think of our past as I breathed her in deeply.

I had met Bella when she was eighteen. I had been walking down the sidewalk of the small town I was passing through when I saw her. I leaned against the building I was nearest too and stood awestruck as she moved toward me. I asked to take her dinner the moment she was close enough, and she said, "I don't think you would like my type of food." Bella walked away and I followed. She was full of life and stubborn as hell, and never in my eighty years of vampire life had I met someone so amazing. Her blood called to me, and I let it draw me in, but after looking into her eyes, there was no way I would harm her. They were soulful and deep and awoke a feeling in me that I didn't believe existed, _hope_.

I sat on her doorstep for next two weeks before she agreed to a date, and then I could tell she was only trying to rid herself of me. _I would change her mind though._ Right after she said yes, I went out and rented an apartment in town. I hadn't had a set residence in years, but I gave myself a permanent address, hoping she would let me into her life.

It was on our first date that I found out that her parents "disappeared" the previous year and that she had been taking care of herself. I was never more disgusted with my kind than in that moment, and I knew my pursuit of her would probably fail.

She surprised me though. Bella kept me.

We went on dates every weekend and I took her to lunch during the week. Slowly our relationship grew, and I became a fixture in her home. My clothes hung next to hers in the closet; my shampoo and soaps next to hers in the shower. Then one day, I stopped renting my apartment and made the stay permanent. It was the most dangerous thing I had ever done. I knew that if the Volturi got wind of it, then we would both be in serious trouble. They would never believe that she was _just _a sexual toy. In fact, the Volturi were quite sure that I was defective since I hadn't taken a vampire lover and showed no interest in anyone.

_ If they only knew the troubles I went through to make sure her scent didn't drench my being when I went to visit them. _

I had missed her birthday with this last trip. She turned twenty-three, and I was sitting in a grand ballroom, kissing ass to the rulers of my world, pretending that I was honored to be included for a second time in the Challenge. In reality, my mind was an ocean away, dreaming about my girl.

I fought off more tracker groupies than I cared to admit, too. I would have to tell Bella about them because I had known that pictures would surface soon. It wasn't that I was recognized in the human world, but Bella liked to subscribe to the vampire newspaper in case there was news about me in them. Very shortly, she would find several pictures of a blond, Russian vampire on my arm, and I cringed when I thought of her anger or even worse, doubt of my affections for her.

It did not help that the Volturi liked to play matchmaker, no matter how fake it was, and were pushing for this union. I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes; like I would _ever_ consider Tanya as a mate. The woman was so old that she didn't even have a last name, and I was sure that more vampires and human men had been in her than she even remembered. Vampires have impeccable memory too, so that was saying something.

I groaned inwardly as I realized I would need to tell Bella more about the Volturi than I had before, and possibly tell her how much danger we were in if they found out about us. I had never told her the full extent of vampire's disgust for mixing species. What I had with Bella was unheard of and cause for imprisonment or death.

The shower shut off and the curtain moved, bringing me back to the present.

Bella sucked in a quick breath and jumped as she saw she wasn't alone, causing her to slip on the slick tile. I had her in my arms before she realized what was happening.

"Damn it, Edward! You scared me!"

I felt her warm, dripping wet body in my arms and my face fell to her neck, breathing deeply. I placed small kisses over her collarbone and listened as her breathing picked up. Her hands that had been gripping my shirt were now fisted in my hair.

"You're early," she breathed.

I hummed in response and licked the curve of her neck. I stood her up and let my hands roam over her back and sides, reacquainting myself with her body. It had been nearly a week since I'd left, and I never went this long without touching her. My hands cupped her bottom, and I lifted her up again, making her wrap her legs around my waist.

It was this change of position that made me lock eyes with her for the first time. She was flushed from the shower and from me; her arousal coated the air almost as thickly as the smell of her soap. Bella's eyes were heavy and her lips were pulled up in a sexy smirk.

My filter was lost. "I need to be in you." I sounded strangled and desperate, but this was what she did to me, always, and only her.

"Miss me, did you?" She leaned in for a kiss.

As her lips met mine, I growled low and she giggled. Instinct was taking over, telling me to claim what was mine, to bury myself in her and never surface. I walked out of the bathroom and pushed her against the wall beside our bedroom door. My kisses were becoming fiercer, and she was rolling her hips against me, gasping from the contact.

I leaned down and let me my tongue circle her nipple before pulling it into my mouth as roughly as I dared.

"Ughh, Edward! Bedroom now!" She was tugging on my hair, trying to get me to look up at her. I licked my way back up to her neck and let my teeth softly scrape her skin. For one small moment, I thought about biting her, taking her and changing her, so I wouldn't have to worry about her or our future. Then she turned her head, giving me more space to kiss. Bella would always give herself to me and it would have been wrong to bite her without her knowledge of it happening.

"Ummm, more," her voice floated around my head, and I pinned her with my body and brought my hands to her breasts.

"What you do to me…" I whispered against her skin.

Her voice was firmer this time. "Bedroom, Edward, or floor for all I care. Just stop teasing!"

I let her slide down the wall and into my lap, where she yanked my shirt up and over my head. As soon as my skin was in view, she started kissing and sucking across my chest and down my stomach. My belt was gone before I could think of helping her and soon my jeans and boxers were across the floor beside us. Time seemed to have no meaning when her lips were on me and this was not the first time that I had been so lost in the sensations that she had me naked without me realizing it.

I was breathing heavily and my hands were shaking as I tried to control myself. I was so close to losing control and being too rough. I knew it and so did she. We had been through this before and knew that sometimes, my desire was just _too_ _much_ and Bella always knew how to calm me.

She straddled my lap, but sat far enough back so that my extremely aroused cock was between us. Bella leaned her torso against me, pressing her breasts against my chest and kissing me softly. I heard the sound of the ripping carpet as I tried to keep my hands from breaking her.

"Let me take care of you," she breathed against my lips.

I could only nod. She looked at me sweetly and said, "Your eyes are still green. I like it when they stay green when we make love."

I whimpered, my hands tightened and the carpet tore more. We were going to _make love_; she was my love, my existence. The overwhelming feeling when I was near her became too much and made me wish I could stay in bed or next to her every minute of every day. Her words weren't meant to inflame me, they were supposed to ground me, but they did both.

Bella placed kisses on my jaw and her fingers brushed my lower stomach.

"I'm going to take you in my mouth." Her words were soft as she wrapped her hand around my shaft. I bucked my hips into her hand and growled.

"That's not helping, Bella," I ground out.

She laughed and started making her way back down my torso. It was then that I started babbling incoherently professing my love of her mouth, how her breath and tongue were so warm against my body, and how I had missed her hands on me.

When her tongue flicked the head of my dick I arched my hips towards her and begged, "Please."

She looked up at me through her eyelashes and said, "You taste so good."

I groaned and she took me fully in her mouth.

"Can't say shit like that. Oh God…" I panted as she ran her tongue along the underside of my cock.

The floorboards cracked under my strength and I cursed inwardly because I would have to fix them later. Those thoughts were gone as soon as they came because Bella moaned around me and had I been human, I'm sure it would have killed me.

I moved so that I was lying on my back in the hallway and Bella turned to get in a better position as she sucked me back into her mouth. When she moved, I was hit by the force of her arousal and my mouth watered. My mind chanted, "Taste her, taste her."

I leaned up and grabbed her hips before moving her so that her knees were on the floor on either side of my head.

Bella stopped licking me and moaned before she threw her head back and gasped, "Yes!"

I took one long lick of her sweet pussy and felt her breath against my cock again.

Soon, we were working each other and moving toward our climaxes. I didn't want to come in her mouth, so I did the one thing I knew would sidetrack her, I sucked her clit into my mouth and slid one finger then another into her, causing her to release my cock and rock her hips against my mouth.

_Works every time._

In a matter of seconds, Bella called my name and clenched around my fingers; her juices ran down my hand and I lapped them up greedily. If Bella's blood called to me, her climax shouted my name. In my mind, her taste was more powerful than her blood.

Bella laid her head on my thigh and started stroking me, right before she placed her mouth on me, I moved her hips and sat up.

"No, I want you now," I stated, and pulled her to straddle me again.

"You're bossy today." She smiled as she raised herself over me.

I kissed her deeply and tangled my hands in her hair. "I missed you. I missed everything about you."

She sank down on me, and I let out a ragged breath, while she groaned softly against my neck. My mind was spinning with the feeling as Bella set a steady pace. Her kisses against my shoulder and her nails that were scratching the back on my neck were just making me harder, if that was even possible.

"You feel so good, so warm." I pulled my knees up and Bella leaned back against them as I gripped her hips, moving us harder. Her breasts bounced with each stroke and I stared unabashedly at them. Her hands wrapped around my wrists as she tried to gain some leverage and push back against me. I loved feeling her hands on me, helping me move, so much that I felt the tightening of my release.

"Oh, Bella! I'm going to come…oh…fuck!" I reached down to circle her clit and found her hand already doing my job, I leaned my head back and took in the whole view with my hand still feeling hers work her clit. My snarl reverberated down the hall, and Bella screamed my name as she came around me. I thrust in roughly once more and released into her, growling her name.

After Bella's breathing returned to normal, I moved us into the bedroom and curled against her in bed. She started tracing patterns on my stomach and giggled, "That was some amazing 'welcome home' sex."

"It's always amazing," I argued.

"Ummm, it is." She snuggled into my shoulder.

"Why do you like being so close to me? I'm hard and cold, I can't be comfortable to sleep on." I was less than what she deserved, but she never complained or said anything about me. Still, I wondered why she seemed to gravitate to me in her sleep.

Bella sat up and took my face in between her hands. "I cuddle with you because I love you. I love the way you feel. You aren't the softest thing in the world, but you're mine and I enjoy being close to you." I couldn't help but purr when she called me _hers_. I was a push-over.

"I love you, too, sweet girl." I played with a piece of her nearly dry hair as she lay back down on my shoulder.

"So we're still waiting another year to change me?" Bella's tone was strained, and I knew she was worried about something.

"Yes. I would like to wait until you're twenty-four, so that we can be the same physical age before you're changed. Why?"

Bella sighed and whispered, "There was an announcement in the paper today."

I twirled her hair around my finger. "What kind of announcement?"

I felt something wet hit my shoulder and smelled the salt of her tears. Immediately, I sat up and looked down at her body, trying to ascertain what had happened.

"Are you all right? Did I hurt you?" My eyes were searching hers, looking for the source of her pain.

"Are you engaged?" She asked quietly.

My head cocked to the side. "What?"

She started crying harder, and I barely made out her words.

"Are you getting married to a vampire named, Tanya? I read about it, and I'm worried that when you leave me, you go to her. Are you are putting off my change so that you can marry her and leave me?" I tried to interrupt her but she kept going. "I saw the pictures, Edward. She was all over you."

Bella dissolved into tears again. I had never seen her so upset and was unsure what to do, but I figured now was the time to tell her the truth about things in Volterra and also her ask her something important.

"Bella?" She wouldn't look up. "Sweet girl, look at me," I pleaded. When she finally looked at me, I smiled and said, "You're my only. There was no one before you, and if you sent me away right now, there would be no one after. You're my entire world, Bella. The thought of being with another woman goes against everything in me. The reason that those pictures were taken is so the Volturi can pretend that I'm doing what they say. They want me to marry Tanya, but I've refused several times over the last few decades.

"However, they expressed these hopes to the wrong people, and in order to keep the Volturi off my back, I was forced to attend a ball in Volterra with Tanya. I never reciprocated any of her advances, and I left halfway through the party so that I could talk with you after you got off work. It's a game I have to play for now. In a year, you'll be changed and I'll get to make you my wife."

Bella was sniffling. "You want to marry me?"

I kissed her and said with as much conviction as I could muster, "If there wasn't a law against it, I would be married to you already. You would have my name and you wouldn't be resorting to a life of sin just to be with me."

She laughed. "I forget that I destroyed your morals with a boob flashing."

I smiled at the memory. "That was the best day of my life until that point. Don't make fun of it! I'd never seen breasts in person before!"

"You came in your pants!" She squealed as I tickled her sides.

"I was excited!"

This lasted for several minutes before I laid her back on the bed.

"Hold on for just one second." I moved to the closet at an inhuman speed and was back to Bella in that time limit.

When I got back on the bed, I pulled her on top of me. Her hair formed a curtain around us, blocking us in our own perfect bubble.

"Isabella Swan, I love you. My life before you was desolate. You've given me a chance that I don't deserve. I know that I'm only half a man, but you've loved me and cared for me. I will spend an eternity being what you need, and I will worship you all the days of forever." She was smiling down at me; I had always been romantic so she wasn't expecting what came next. I reached for her hand and gently pushed the platinum solitaire ring on her finger. She looked down at her hand that was now resting on my chest then back up to me, her eyes wide and shocked.

"Will you be my wife? Keep me with you forever?"

Bella giggled, and I sat up as she threw her arms around my neck and hugged me as tightly as she could.

"Yes. I would love to keep you forever."

_One more year. One more year._ I repeated in my head.

"Thank you." I whispered and kissed her sweetly.

She pulled away and looked at me seriously. "You've never kissed her, right?" Her voice was fierce.

I smiled and kissed her chin. "Never. You're my only, remember? Only everything. You can't say that." I teased.

She huffed, "Oh my God, Edward. I think Jacob Black kissing me in ninth grade can be forgotten. I didn't even kiss back."

"All mine," I whispered against her ear and she shivered.

"All mine," she repeated and I purred. Thank God, none of the other trackers could hear me. I don't think any of them had even found this type of love or affection with their own mates. I smiled because Bella and I were an anomaly. Different. Special.

"I need to tell you something," I spoke into her hair.

"What?" She seemed uncertain.

"You remember how I told you about the Challenge?" It had been a couple of years since I'd mentioned it.

"The smelling game, right?"

I laughed lowly. "Yeah. I've been asked to participate again."

She looked into my eyes, and I saw that she was scared.

"Explain this it to me. What do you have to do?"

I ran my hands over her bare back.

"A group of trackers, vampires that can find anyone or anything if we are given the scent, are gathered in a room that's filled with our target's fragrance, and then we're given a continent. That's all the information we have and we are to find that scent. The first one that gets there wins. You don't even have to let the target know you've found them because they don't know they've been chosen. This is something that humans know nothing about and something I shouldn't tell you, but you're my girl and I tell you everything."

"You don't kill them then?"

"Never. The target is specifically there for us to find. We don't kill them, and we are not allowed to harm each other in the quest for the target." I explained.

She kissed my jaw, and I felt myself begin to harden at the gesture.

"How long will you be gone?" She rolled her hips against mine.

I gasped and let my fingers move to her ribs and brush the sides of her breasts. "I leave Saturday for the Challenge and I will be gone for at least a month depending on where the target is located. I will try and win."

"Why?" My cock was positioned at her entrance and I felt her wetness cover my tip.

"If I win again, I'm sure the Volturi will give me anything I want. I'm their favorite. We won't have trouble when you're changed." My breathing was becoming labored even though I didn't need it.

"Show me how fast you are, Edward." She whispered into my ear and forcefully thrust down on me.

I watched her ride me for a minute, and then I flipped us over and demonstrated my skills.

Later that night as she slept against my chest, I played with her ring. She was going to be mine. If I won, we would be in the clear. I could do this for us and be safe for eternity.

She whispered my name in her sleep and I smiled.

_One more year. One more year._

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First off, I need to thank some ladies for helping me get started writing this. LadySharkey1 is beta'ing for me. She's amazing and keeps my in line, which I desperately need. Jen_328 is my Yoda and without her there wouldn't be a story, she listened to me rave about it and told me to write it down. I did and here we are. Jadsmama and Chele the Original have dealt with me being coy all week about this, so here's to you for putting up with me and not telling me to eff off ;)

Thanks so much to all of you.

This fic will update every Friday. I have stockpiled chapters and clear idea where it's headed. Look for teasers on The Fictionators and the Pictease this coming Monday for Ch. 2.

Thanks for reading! I hope you liked the first chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Ch. 2: I Choose You**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.**

Thanks to ladysharkey1 for beta'ing and making this pretty. She's amazing and gives me presents when she sends the chapter back :) Also, thanks to Jen328 for pre-reading and her Tim Gunn-like ability to tell me something's not working without making it sound horrible. She's my Yoda.

**IMPORTANT:** I didn't say this last chapter & I don't want there to be any confusion. Vampires in this story are a little different.

They retain their human eye color, although it is an enhanced version of it. They don't sparkle in the daylight. If a person is a "singer," they don't just smell good for one person; they are singers for all vampires. This makes them even rarer. Most importantly, thoughts are private. Edward cannot read minds. Neither can Aro. If they could, this story would be a hell of a lot shorter ;)

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The following morning, I heard Bella coming down the stairs as I made her breakfast.

"You weren't there when I woke up," she pouted and took a seat at the island.

I smiled and placed her food in front of her.

"I had to fix the floor in the hallway," I said before I picked her up and sat her in my lap. I only had two days with her before I would be gone for God knows how long, so I planned on touching her as much as possible.

"What happened to the floor?" she asked before taking a bite of her pancake.

I leaned in against her ear and whispered, "I broke the floor when you were licking my cock."

She swallowed her food and smirked at me. "What can I say? I'm good."

I laughed and hugged her closer. "What do you want to do today? I need to get on a plane for Italy Saturday so you have me today and tomorrow."

Bella groaned. "I guess we should spend time with the couples before you leave. You're going to need to tell Jasper you can't be a groomsman anymore."

"Fuck. I forgot about that." I rested my forehead against her neck. "Call 'em up. I'll take you all out to eat, and then I'll offer to pay for some type of wedding expense, since I'm deserting a fucking month before their wedding." I was mad at myself for having to back out, but it's not like I could call the Volturi and decline their invitation, especially with the excuse of being in a human's wedding.

"They'll understand, Edward." She stood up and took her plate to the sink. "Just tell them that you're needed in Italy for a couple of months and can't get out of it. They know that vampires live under different rules and understand that when you're called you can't say no."

I sighed and walked to her, wrapping my arms around her waist as she washed her plate.

"I still feel bad. I really wanted to be there."

"Maybe when Emmett and Rose get married, you'll get to be a groomsman for him." She was being kind, but we both knew that Emmett didn't like me. I would never be asked to stand up for him.

"I doubt that, but at least I'll get to see you in a pretty dress for that one."

"One day, you'll get to see me in a white dress," she had turned and spoke against my lips.

I couldn't contain my smile at that comment. "One more year," I repeated my mantra to her then gave her a chaste kiss. "Call them and let me know when we need to meet them. I'm going to go get breakfast." She smacked my ass as I walked towards the door and laughed.

I took off through the trees with the hopes of finding a carnivore, but knew I would only find a deer. Most vampires fed from human blood that was from donation facilities. I had stopped drinking the donated blood and started hunting animals the moment that Bella agreed to date me. I just didn't feel comfortable drinking human blood since I was in an intimate relationship with one. I was happy to know that Bella had never donated. My possessiveness ran deep, and I enjoyed the fact that I was the only vampire who would ever taste her.

In Volterra, it was harder to abstain from human blood, but the brothers respected my choices; especially when I explained the need to _hunt_ something. They appreciated the fact that I still nursed a feral side and stocked the forest with carnivorous animals when I was their guest. The brothers still liked to drink from live humans, but that was a well-kept secret that I'd been unfortunate enough to witness during one trip there.

I hadn't been running long when I caught a scent through the trees and ran towards it. In a matter of minutes, I had taken down two does and started on my way back home. I still could not stop the smile that would spread across my face when I called this home. The fact was this had been my home for almost four and a half years. Bella's friends were hesitant to accept it at first, but came to understand that we were in love. Despite that knowledge, I was held at arms length. I knew they felt like our relationship was just a phase for Bella and soon she would grow tired of me. I always felt on edge in their presence.

Those thoughts were chased away when I reached the point in the tree line where I could take in the fragrance that emanated from the house; I sucked in a deep breath and my muscles relaxed. It never failed to calm me. Just the thought of how our scents co-mingled and created a new one drove me crazy. It was Bella and me, and without getting too graphic, it screamed intimacy.

As I walked through the back door, I had to shift my erection to a more comfortable and less visible position before entering the living room.

I could already hear the loud voices filtering through the house. Emmett and Jasper were arguing over a football team and Rose and Alice were discussing Alice's bachelorette party. Neither topic was of interest to me.

"Hello, everyone." I sat down next to Bella, pulling her close to my side.

"Hey, Edward! How was your trip?" Alice asked excitedly. She had wanted to spend her honeymoon in Italy, but I had talked her out of that as fast as I could.

"It was long. I did get some unfortunate news while I was there though." Everyone turned towards me and Bella squeezed my hand. "I'm going to have to return to Volterra, Saturday. I will be there for a month at least, and I'm sorry to say that I will miss your wedding."

Alice's face fell, but Jasper only nodded. He seemed more at home with the vampire world than the others and my news never fazed him.

"I'm very sorry, Alice. If I could get out of it, I would. I'm very honored by the fact that you and Jasper wanted to include me in such a special event, but my presence is required and you don't say 'no' to the Volturi."

"I understand, Edward. We're recording it, so you'll just have to watch the whole thing when you get back." Jasper gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's all right. I'm just a little shocked. I'm sorry you're going to be away from for so long," Alice stated kindly.

I looked at Bella and thought about our separation. "Yes, it will be terrible. I don't like being away from home."

"Are you afraid a human will come along and show her that she needs someone with a beating heart?" Emmett sneered.

I understood his anger when it came to most vampires; especially a vampire that dated a human. That was how his sister was turned into a mistress then later drained in a moment of passion. Usually, I wasn't too offended, but now I was really starting to get annoyed. I'd been around him for five years, and he still treated me like garbage sometimes.

"I worry constantly that Bella will realize that I'm not good enough for her," I answered as he glared at me.

"You should. There's a nice guy coming to the wedding that might slip in and steal her while you're away," Emmett continued.

I immediately tensed and swallowed the venom that pooled in my mouth. The growl that escaped from my chest was low and feral.

"You don't like that, do you?" He toyed with me.

I was stumped as to why he was behaving this way. He'd never goaded me before. He had only made snarky comments here and there, this taunting was uncalled for.

"Emmett, stop it! If you can't, then you should leave. You're in our home, remember that!" Bella held tighter to my hand as she spoke, her voice fierce.

"He can't handle a little competition?"

My patience was gone and I snarled. "She's my mate. _Mine_. If you were a vampire, you would respect that my scent covers her and wouldn't speak to me in this way. Since you're human, you don't notice this and you are pushing my control. If you bring a man around Bella and they force themselves on her, I will kill them. I will protect my wife."

The room gasped and looked between me and Bella, trying to find something. Alice squealed and ran across the room, prying Bella's hand off my arm. I didn't like the intrusion and pulled Bella away from her and on to my lap. The growl in my throat made Alice back away. I couldn't help it, this was my instinct. I closed my eyes as Bella's hand ran through my hair, and the noise I made turned to a quiet rumble as I calmed.

This was the most they'd ever seen me act like an actual vampire in all the years I'd known them. I'm sure they were frightened so when I opened my eyes, I searched for Alice.

"I'm sorry for that. Emmett's comments made me defensive, and I needed to be the only person touching Bella."

Alice nodded and asked, "Can you show me your left hand, Bella? I think I saw something there!"

Bella bit her lip then removed her hand from my hair, holding it in front of her.

"Oh my God! You're married! When did this happen?" Alice and Rose stared at us with shocked, strained smiles.

I felt extremely proud and honored. Bella had accepted my proposal and wanted me as her husband; as shown by wearing our ring. It meant more than my claim on her; it signified my love, my loyalty and my appreciation for her.

"We're not married yet," Bella said quietly. "I'm planning it for next Christmas." She looked back at me and I nodded eagerly.

"You can't marry him, Bella. It's illegal," Emmett stated calmly.

"Well, we can plan a commitment ceremony or something. It doesn't have to be a wedding, Em." Alice tilted her and looked at the diamond again.

"That's a great idea. You can even write your own vows!" Rose added, nodding.

I leaned into her neck and let her scent fill my lungs, giving me strength, before turning to them. "Bella won't be human when we marry."

The room got deathly quiet then extremely loud, everyone shouting their opinions, none of them in favor of our decision. Bella curled into me, trying to hold in her tears. I whispered to her, "I love you, sweet girl. You're my world, Bella. If you think we should wait, we can, but please don't leave me."

The crash of voices got louder, and I tried to block them out because Bella was falling apart. Her friends were telling us that we were jumping to the extreme choice and that we could be married and still keep Bella human. They did not understand the danger she was already in, and I couldn't explain it to them.

"You don't know what you're doing, Bella," Rose said loudly. "What about children? Don't you want kids?"

"I want Edward's children. I don't want anyone else's," Bella looked at Rose incredulously. "Do you want someone's kids that aren't, Em's?"

"That's different, Bella. Emmett can have babies." She gestured to me and then with a slight hint of disgust in her voice she said, "His kind can't."

This brought on new conversation about how I was inept, and that I was a genetic dead end because I couldn't reproduce, which brought on a fresh round of tears from Bella and a rushed whisper, "If we had kids, I'd want them to have your eyes. I love your eyes."

I was extremely close to my breaking point and hugged Bella closer to me.

"You're forcing this on her, aren't you?" Emmett yelled across the room.

"Enough!" My voice echoed around the room and the voices ceased immediately. I stood up, holding Bella in my arms, and addressed them as civilly as possible. "You should all leave. I understand that you are upset about this news, but unless Bella tells me she doesn't want me or doesn't want be changed, I will not take your opinions into consideration. She wants this future and so do I. We've spent countless hours discussing her change, and we know the price. As long as Bella wants it, she will be turned and we will marry. She was made for me, and I will not leave until she sends me away." I turned for the stairs. "You can show yourselves out."

I got to our room and laid Bella on the bed then curled my body around hers, trying desperately to keep her together and to show her that I loved her. It took a few minutes, but she stopped crying and reached to touch my face.

"I love you. I'm happy with our decision, Edward. I'm just sad that they might not want to be a part of our lives. I've known them for just a little bit longer than I've known you, so it will be an adjustment if they stop talking to us."

I kissed her forehead. "I don't want you to regret the choice to be with me. It's my greatest fear."

"I will never regret any time I spend with you or a future as your wife."

We spent the rest of the day lying in bed, kissing and touching, talking and laughing, by the time she fell asleep that night we were tangled together under the covers. I held her in my arms and I pretended for a moment that I was human again and we were a normal couple. That her friends would have been happy for us, and that we could have made a family.

Those thoughts disappeared as I remember some of their harsh words from earlier. I pushed the hair away from her face and whispered my own regret for what she was giving up.

"Sweet girl, I'm in awe of you. You love me when you shouldn't, and I take your love because I need it to survive. You're beautiful to me and so bold. I'm sorry that I can't give you children, I'm sorry that you will likely lose your friends because of our choices, but I'm so happy you want me, and that next Christmas you'll be my wife, even though I already consider you that. I'll give you everything to make up for my inadequacies, Bella."

I was surprised when she opened her eyes and looked up at me. Her fingers skimmed my jaw and she brought her lips up to mine.

"I want a life with you, Edward. No, that's not right," she paused and my mind raced with possibilities for her next sentence. "I want _lifetimes_ with you. One won't be enough and I know that things won't be typical. I know that we won't have a family and that one day our friends will die, but you will always love me, always care for me, right?"

"Always, Bella," my voice was full of conviction as I spoke the words.

She rolled over on top of me and rested her head on my chest. I rose up to a sitting position against the headboard and let her sit astride my hips.

"Tell me where you see us five years from now," she whispered against my throat.

I felt the ends of her hair against my fingertips and brushed them softly as I answered, "In a little café in Paris. We're not eating of course, but you've ordered an espresso to keep your hands warm. I'm taking you to all the places I've been before, but never noticed their true beauty because I was too morose." She giggled and it warmed my heart. "Then we would go to the Louvre. I would tell you that we could find someone who had _actually _been there when da Vinci painted the_ Mona Lisa _and find out what that woman was really smiling about."

"Are we happy?" Her fingers traced up and down my sides.

"We are blissful, sweet girl. We make love all night and experience the world all day. You are beautiful and so full of love that it makes me forget a time when you weren't mine."

The silence enveloped us and we held each other for several minutes before I asked, "Where do you see us in ten years?"

Bella sat back and her hands went to the nape of my neck, playing with the short strands of hair there.

"I see us on a private island, cuddling in a hammock, looking at an ocean so blue it seems unreal." One hand moved to trace my jaw and she leaned in to kiss my cheek. "We play in the water and you chase me all over the island just because we want to run fast."

"I like running," I whispered.

"I know," she said. "I also see us being god parents."

It's my turn to pull back and look into her eyes.

"I think that they'll still keep us. I think that in ten years, we'll have our own extended family and get to buy Christmas presents for greedy children and their parents."

"You think so, Bella?" I didn't know why I felt so much hope when she said it, but I realized that as much as I didn't think I needed them, their presence had become wanted in my life.

"I do. I think they just need a little time." She laid her head back against my chest and asked, "Do you think the Volturi will let you get away with changing me and marrying me? I'm not anyone special in your world, and it seems like they want to arrange a marriage of importance for you."

I knew this was true. The brothers had made a point in stating that my marriage was a necessity to save face, to make the public believe that the Volturi controlled everyone. However, I wasn't about to go into that much detail, and I really believed that if I won the Challenge, our marriage wouldn't be a problem.

"They'll let me do as I please, Bella. I choose who I marry, and if it were possible, I would have gotten down on one knee a lot sooner. Probably the second date."

She threw her head back and laughed, giving me a spectacular view of her neck and shoulders. "You didn't propose on one knee, Edward. You were naked and I was on top of you."

"That actually sounds pretty awesome." My answer had escaped unfiltered.

"You're a pervert." She pushed against me, but I held her close. "Imagine if your mother was alive and we had to explain how we got engaged, Edward! What would you say?"

I smirked at her before answering in my most refined voice, "Mother, Miss Swan stole my virtue, and I was forced to ask her to marry me in a state of undress unbecoming a young man of my status. I'm terribly ashamed, Mother, but wish to marry her at once so I can get undressed again."

"That's awful, Edward." She scrunched up her nose and shook her head.

"Truthfully, if our parents were around, I would have asked your father first." She got quiet and looked at me. "He would have told me no, too, I know that much, but I would have kept asking and eventually he would have given in."

She kissed me softly and smiled. "My dad would have loved you."

"You're lying." My hands brought her bare chest to mine.

"Maybe a little," she answered before her teeth pulled at my bottom lip.

"Can we make love now, Bella?" I asked, sounding whiny.

She moved over me and positioned herself as I said, "You're my only, sweet girl. You own me."

I pushed myself into her and felt the warmth that her body brought me. Our time since I'd been home had been filled with so much lovemaking that my mind felt like it was in a constant fog. That was how our reunions went though. I wondered if we were being intimate so much more because I was leaving again soon, but the thought slipped away as Bella whispered my name across my skin. Her breath was against my neck, and I closed my eyes and just let my sense of touch guide me. Neither of us lasted long and soon we were tangled together again, breathing heavily.

I was trying to say something witty about my stamina being worn out when Bella asked, "So I smell like you? Is that what you meant earlier?" Apparently, my stamina was just fine because at the thought of her smelling of me, my cock grew stiff against her belly.

"Yes, you smell like me. We have a sexual relationship and naturally we smell of each other. Reek of each other, in fact. A vampire that came near you would know that you're mine."

I rocked myself against her.

"That turns you on, Edward?" Her voice was sultry and judging by her smell, it turned her on too. Her hand wrapped around me and I gasped.

"Yeah, sweet girl, it sure does. Does it make you wet to know that I smell like you?" I dipped my fingers from her hip to her sex. She _was_ wet, but it was mixed with me and I groaned.

I brought my fingers to my lips and traced them over the bottom one, I could taste her and me, it smelled like us, and my mind was swimming.

"Kiss me, Bella. We taste so good, sweet girl." She brought her mouth to mine and moaned loudly as she kept stroking me.

This time together would need to satiate me because I wasn't sure when I would get to touch her again, and the idea of being away from her for so long, that her touch wouldn't be an everyday occurrence, made me wilder for her.

"Oh fuck, Bella. Keep going, baby." I panted against her mouth as she palmed the head of cock before stroking back down.

Her breath was against my lips and it tasted like us from our kisses, her hand was working me and her breasts were pressed against my chest. We'd been perfecting sex for almost as long as we'd been together and she knew all the little things that made me harder or come quicker.

She released me, and I looked at her questioningly only to have her smirk before gripping my shaft again. She brought her hand, which was now wet back to my cock, oh God, I knew where the wetness came from…

Bella's lips met my shoulder and she moved her hand faster. I was muttering incoherently and was being embarrassingly loud.

"I want you to come, Edward." She licked the curve of my neck.

"Ughhh," I answered, which was supposed to be, 'me too.'

"Now." She commanded as she bit into the skin of my neck as hard as she could. It didn't hurt, but the intention was there and my cock answered accordingly.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck. Oh my God…"

My body shuddered as I came in her hand. My thoughts tried to make their way back through the sex-filled haze of my brain.

"After you're changed, I want you to mark me so bad."

She giggled and went to get up.

I was brought out of my daze fully by a smell that floated in from the opened window in our room. I quickly pulled the covers over Bella and moved to block her from view.

"Stay right here, Bella."

I was out of bed, dressed and out the window in a matter of seconds.

_Vampire._

* * *

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	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3: Wash Away

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to Ladysharkey1 for beta'ing and Jen328 for her pre-reading skills :) You ladies are amazing!

* * *

"So this is your big secret?" His voice was a welcomed alternative to who it could have been.

I turned around and let my fist connect with his jaw, knocking him backwards and into a tree.

"How long were you listening? Please, tell me you were only listening, William." I moved towards him and he backed away with his hands up.

"I might have seen a boob, but I closed my eyes as soon as I realized what was going on, then I just listened." William kept backing away, but a smile was planted on his face. He was not worried about fighting me, he was laughing at my reaction.

My anger was mounting, and I needed to hit something before I destroyed him. I might have been overreacting, but I really did not like that he _might_ have seen anything.

"I'm kidding, Ed." He rolled his eyes then smirked. "I only listened."

The tension left my shoulders and his eyes turned from playful to pity as he spoke, "You know you could be killed for this. That she could die, too."

I nodded.

"The brothers would make you watch them kill her, Edward. You need to be careful." William looked at me with a sorrowful expression.

"You think I'll get caught?"

"If you don't change her, then yes, you will."

I had always admired his honesty as William was much older than I was. He was from an even stricter moral time than me, too, but apparently lost all human bonds when he was changed. Little Victorian era William went from aspiring poet to cocky vampire almost overnight. His English accent only drew more women to him.

"I plan on changing her after her next birthday. It's a year away."

He shrugged and said, "I don't know how you're going to keep her a secret that long. The brothers want to see you married to Tanya and they will be pushing marriage harder. I haven't been to the court, but I've been invited to participate in the Challenge again. If you win, they will make you set a date for your wedding to Tanya. Chelsea, one of their favorite toys, you remember her?" I nodded. "She's working on getting you bonded to Tanya as we speak. She couldn't figure out why it didn't work last week, but after hearing what I just heard, I know why. You've found your mate, haven't you?"

"Yes," I whispered.

"You need to change her now, Edward."

I shook my head. "We'll be fine. If it comes down to it, then I'll change her after the Challenge."

William took a deep breath and looked up at Edward with a big smile.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to the missus? She seems feisty and any girl that can make you a screamer has got to be pretty interesting." He laughed when I hit him, and I pointed to the house.

"Come on in then. She's going to love meeting you." Sarcasm dripped from my words.

I opened the back door and William followed me in. As we rounded the corner into the living room, Bella ran down the stairs and jumped into my arms.

"Where did you go? What was out there?" She had buried her face into my neck and was unaware of William standing off to the side.

I gripped her thighs tighter when I realized they were bare and pulled back to make sure she wasn't still nude. William was my only ally right now, and I would have hated to kill him because he saw her naked. When I saw that she was dressed in my shirt from earlier, I sat her on her feet.

"Bella, this is William. He's an old friend of mine and will be a contender in the Challenge with me."

Bella's eyes went wide and she crossed her arms over her chest, blocking her braless breasts from sight.

"It's nice to meet you, William." She paused then asked loudly, "Were you listening?"

William was trying not to laugh as he answered, "Yes. I was."

Bella blanched and looked up at me. "You're friend's a pervert, Edward. Did you at least hit him for that?"

"I did."

She looked appeased and turned to William. "Why are you here?"

"You know, I'd have thought you'd be a little nicer to me. I brought your lover some important information that will save you both."

"Huh?"

I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes.

"Just stuff about the Challenge, sweet girl. Little hints that will get me home sooner."

"You live here?" William asked incredulously.

I gave him a hard look. "Of course I live with Bella. I've lived with Bella for years."

"You never smell of her when you come to Volterra though. I thought this was just a passing fancy until I heard you talking together afterward. Edward, this isn't safe at all." He looked shocked and frightened for us.

"You told me that you always smell like me. You mean to tell me that you go to Volterra and seem available? Edward, you made me think that that woman _knew_ about me! You're hiding me!" She backed away and moved toward the stairs. "I was right, wasn't I? William's right. I'm just a 'passing fancy'?"

"I would never lie to you, Bella."

"You already did. What else are you not telling me, Edward? Is this Challenge just an excuse so you can spend months with Tanya?"

William looked as if he was watching a tennis match, and I was sick of his presence and the fact he brought this down on me. I was also angry because I was lying to Bella. I was omitting important things that she should know, but didn't want to tell her.

I must have taken longer to respond because Bella had already started up the stairs.

"Bella, wait!" She stopped and looked at me with tear-filled eyes. "You are my only. I don't love her, I don't seek her company, and I don't _want_ her. I want our future, the one we just talked about. I'll explain everything to you, I promise. You need stop jumping to conclusions and getting jealous over Tanya."

Her nostrils flared and her eyes widened.

"It's almost as bad as you threatening to kill a man that I haven't even met, isn't it? He wouldn't be able to notice your claim on me just like she doesn't know that you're taken. The difference is that if I was able, every man that crossed my path would know I was yours, while you wash me away before you go play with the court."

She turned and started to climb the stairs again. I raced after and pinned her to the wall.

"Get out, William. Thank you for your advice. If I hear you anywhere around us, then I will make it painful for you."

He chuckled and said, "Goodnight, Edward and Bella. It was a _pleasure._"

The front door slammed and I leaned toward Bella's ear.

"I wash away your smell so they don't find us. I wash it away because vampires only keep mistresses for months at a time and if I smelled like you for years they would become suspicious. I've never told you, but vampires don't have relationships with humans, Bella. This, what we have, could kill us both." My nose traced her jaw and I pulled back to look into her eyes. "I wash it away so I can come home to you."

She looked up at me with red, watery eyes.

"I don't want Tanya and I have never, ever spent time with her outside of the ballroom. She might not smell you on me, but she sure as hell knows that I'm not available. In fact, William tells me that they are having a very difficult time cutting my bonds with you, impossible even. I won't tie myself to Tanya so they are trying to force it. Even if you don't soak my presence, my ties to you are like steel cables that they can't sever."

Bella released a shaky breath. "Why do they want this so badly? Why can't we just be together?"

"They like to have the final say. I will win this Challenge and come home to you. You need to be ready though because if William is right, I'll need to change you sooner than planned."

"You can change me now, Edward," she pleaded.

"I have to leave. Your change wouldn't be complete by then, and I can't leave you alone afterward, it's a difficult time for a vampire. We've also got to get permission."

Another thing I'd kept from her. For years, she'd figured we would just go away, be alone, and then I'd change her. There were so many vampire rules that she knew nothing about because I thought she might think it was too much effort to be with me.

"What?" Her voice was shaky.

"It's all right though. I know a vampire that grants these things and he will do this for me." Bella closed her eyes, probably thinking I was lying again. "It's Carlisle. So you know I'm being truthful when I say this. He's my friend and he'll approve. It'll be fine, Bella."

She nodded, but her voice was doubtful, "All right. I'll be waiting and as soon as you come, we'll leave."

I kissed her with as much passion as I had and breathed against her lips, "I'm sorry that I kept things from you. I didn't want you to worry and realize that we were in trouble, sweet girl. I didn't want you to know that I'd put us right in their sight."

"You haven't though. You've taken precautions to protect me, Edward. We just need to get through this and we'll be fine. We'll get married and seek approval for my change. Then we'll go to Paris and my island. Just come home."

After we made up on the stairs, I carried Bella to bed. She slept peacefully against my side and I thought of the many different options I had. By morning, my plan of action was the same; go to Volterra, win the Challenge, and then run from the target back to Bella and change her before seeing the Volturi again.

Bella stretched against me and sighed.

"You'll be gone tomorrow."

"I will."

"I hate it," she muttered petulantly.

I smiled. "Me too."

She propped herself up on her elbows and asked, "What do you want to do today?"

"I'm taking you to lunch then we are coming back here and pretending to watch a movie. After that, I'm ordering you Chinese and afterward we'll take a bath together then go to bed."

"I like it."

We got dressed and started out the door. I helped Bella into the car and we headed to her favorite sandwich shop for lunch.

We spent a majority of lunch people-watching and coming up with stories for them; because of my enhanced hearing I would confirm our theories or explain what was happening with the couples we chose. Most of the time, we were pretty accurate in our guesses.

I held her hand and kissed her throughout her meal, silently trying to get in as much contact as possible before my flight the next day.

At home, we turned on a movie that Bella had gotten months ago, but never watched. We made love on the couch, and I let my hands try to memorize the feel of her skin.

Bella napped afterward, and I went for a quick hunt to prepare for my travel. When I returned it was nearly seven, so I called in the order for dinner and watched Bella sleep until it arrived.

She woke up to smell of peppered steak and licked her lips as I handed her the little carton.

"God, I love you." She moaned as she took the first bite.

I shifted on the couch.

"You eat up, and I'm going to get stuff ready for the bath, all right?"

Bella nodded and I raced up the stairs to get away from her noises. Ten minutes later, I went back downstairs to find Bella finishing up for dinner, watching the movie we had abandoned earlier. I sat down beside her and she leaned against me, taking the last bite of her rice.

"I think I'll finish the movie while you're gone. It's too distracting when you're here."

I took the empty food container and placed it on the table before I picked her up and walked to up the stairs. When we got into the bathroom, I pulled my shirt that she was wearing over her head and said, "Get in, Bella."

She immersed herself in the bubbles and I stripped down quickly and joined her. It was nice. I liked that my body felt warm, like I was human again for just a moment.

"Are you nervous about the Challenge?" she asked as she pushed some bubbles around us.

"Not really. I mean, it should be simple. Get the scent, get the continent, and then run."

"How do you do it? I mean, finding one scent on a whole continent has be difficult."

I moved her hair from her neck and hummed against her shoulder. "It is. I'll start in the middle and work my way out in an expanding circle. That way I don't miss anything. Some trackers start with main cities and move down in population, others start at the coast and work their way across. It all depends on the style of the tracker and their speed."

She leaned back against me as I kissed just below her ear. "Do people bet on you?"

"Vampires bet, yes. Humans aren't supposed to know what's happening, remember?"

She sighed in exasperation and said, "That's right. Edward, I hope you enjoy your run around Africa for the next two months. I hear that it's beautiful this time of year."

I laughed. "You know its Africa, do you? Well now I can start a game plan. I've got insider information."

"Oh yeah, I'm a big time player in the vampire world."

We were quiet for a few minutes then Bella asked, "How do you get my scent off you?"

I buried my nose in her hair and sighed. I moved my chin to her shoulder and spoke, "Tonight, after you fall asleep, I'll go wade and soak in the river for hours. The cold water and the current wash it away after I lay in it long enough. I have new clothes in the truck that I'll change into immediately then I'll run to the airport. From there, my scent will mix with the other travelers and yours is gone."

"So you really do it because you're protecting me?"

"Yes, but not only for the reason you think." I closed my eyes and whispered to her, "Your blood is strong. It smells divine. For me, when I met you, you know that I was attracted to your blood. I've told you this much, but I was able to see passed that immediately. I was yours the moment I saw you and killing you wasn't an option. What I didn't say was that to other vampires, your scent can be overwhelming when breathed in untainted."

"Untainted?" she asked in a confused voice.

"The other night, William didn't go crazy because it was _our_ scent he smelled, not just yours. If you and I aren't intimate for around three days, then your blood's scent becomes more powerful than mine on you. You can still get a hint of me, and that's what keeps others away if I'm gone, but they will be drawn to you more because of your blood."

"They won't take me though?"

I shook my head. "No. You are mine. That much is evident from the edge of your scent. They won't harm you. It's code, it's law in our world; you respect the claim of another vampire."

"Why did you keep this from me for so long, Edward?"

I laughed humorlessly. "Because I was terrified you would send me away. That you would realize I wasn't worth the trouble. Mostly, I didn't tell you because I thought I could keep everything a secret until you're turned. I didn't think they'd find out and the less you had to worry about, the better."

She let out a sigh of relief, and I started to stand.

"You'll be gone when I wake up?"

I pulled her out of the tub and wrapped the towel around her before grabbing one for myself.

"Yes. I'll stay with you until you're deeply asleep then I'll go to the river. I will text you when I get to Italy, but my communication will be limited once the Challenge begins. I will try for one text a day after we start, but sometimes the service in these countries is non-existent."

Bella nodded. "Just be safe. I want you to come home so we can start our life together. Well, I guess we won't actually be _alive._"

"I'm more alive with you than I ever was. We'll be fine, Bella."

She opened the door to the bathroom and I followed her out. When she reached the bedroom door she dropped her towel and kept walking. I watched the way her hips swayed as she crossed the room. When she reached the bed she bent at the waist and leaned against the edge of mattress.

"Enjoy the show?" she asked innocently from over her shoulder.

I was behind her in a heartbeat, pressing her chest into the covers. My cock was right at her entrance and I wanted so badly to press into her, but instead I moved off of her.

"Lay back on the bed."

She moved and I followed, much like before. When she was situated with her head propped up on the pillows, I pushed her thighs apart and settled between her legs. I let my fingers trail over her warmth and then sucked her clit into my mouth.

"I might not have your scent on me tomorrow, but this is the only flavor my tongue recognizes anymore. The only taste I have left, sweet girl."

Bella moaned and placed her legs on my shoulders as I leaned in again. I alternated between long licks and short flicks of my tongue, bringing her so close to the edge, but not over. Her fingers tightened in my hair and my cock was uncomfortably hard, so I used another trick that Bella loved. I pressed my tongue into her and used my right hand to circle her clit. She was rocking and gasping and I switched positions suddenly, pressing two fingers inside her and curling them while I sucked and hummed around her clit.

_Works_ _every time._

She shattered around my fingers and I moaned against her clit when I felt her clenching, causing her hips to jerk away from me.

When she was relaxed back on the bed, I rose up onto my knees and gripped my cock. I just needed to relieve some pressure. Bella smiled and looked at me. "What are you waiting for, Edward?"

"Nothing. Just looking." I moved up her body and kissed her before lining us up.

"I love you, Bella." I whispered as I pushed into her. Her muscles clenched lightly around me and my eyes rolled back. "God, I love you."

She met me thrust for thrust and wrapped her legs around my hips, changing the angle of our position. My lips were always on hers. Our breaths mingled and our moans were caught by each others mouths.

When we came together she called out my name and her fingers dug as deep as they could, into my shoulders. I lay panted into her neck afterwards, tried to breathe in as much as of us possible, and hoped that it would stay with me.

After I rolled away, Bella threw her arm over my stomach and sighed.

"I'm going to miss you," she whispered into the dark.

"I'll miss you, too. It will be over quick, hopefully, and then we can be together." I tried to remain as positive as possible. "They don't know about you, so I don't think we'll have a problem after you're changed."

She nodded against me, and I felt her breathing deepen. She would fall asleep soon and I would leave.

"I love you, sweet girl. I'll be back for you, all right?"

"I love you. I'll be waiting." She breathed against my chest.

"You're my only, Bella."

She hummed in response and slipped the rest of the way to sleep.

I waited for an hour before getting up. I gave her a final kiss and went to the truck for my clothes, then ran to the river. I soaked until the sky lightened and I couldn't smell Bella anymore. I donned my new clothes that smelled like Macy's and ran to the airport.

As I waited for my flight, I thought about Bella. She would be awake by now and started her day. It was Saturday, so she didn't have to work, so I hoped that she would call Alice and Rose and maybe talk to them about her decision. Bella needed their support, especially while I was away.

"Now boarding: all first-class passengers for Flight 8612 to Rome, Italy."

I stood and grabbed my carry-on before I walked to the flight attendant. Once I was situated in my seat, I prepared myself to breathe recycled air for the next eleven hours. At take-off, I watched as my world faded away, and I prayed for the first time in my existence.

_Please God, let me get through this. Give me strength to get back to her. Keep her safe._

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Thanks for reading! I hope you're still enjoying Edward and Bella. Next chapter starts the challenge and things will start picking up fast!

As always, teasers are on The Fictionators and PicTease on Mondays.


	4. Chapter 4

Ch. 4: The Challenge

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

I need to thank ladysharkey1, who betas chapters for me, and Jen328, who pre-reads. They are amazing and keep me sane.

* * *

_Opulence. _

That one word described the entire welcome ceremony for the Challenge. The room was covered in large crystal vases filled with elegant flower arrangements, the molding along the ceiling was actual gold, and waiters walked around with flutes filled with warm, donated blood.

I stood in a far corner, wearing a heavy tuxedo, and avoided Tanya with all my power. She had been dropping hints since I'd arrived to the party that, 'summer was a lovely time for a wedding'.

_Not on your life, lady._

I wanted to express that I felt Christmas was when I wanted to get married, but decided she'd probably assume I meant to her and that I wanted the wedding in the next four months. I did not want to encourage her or the Volturi, so I said nothing.

I wrapped my fingers around the phone in my pocket and sighed. My text to Bella had been my only communication to her and that was hours ago, adding to that the flight time, and I hadn't heard her voice in a day. My mind was screaming at me to open the phone and call her, but the more rational side of me won out, so I settled for letting my fingers hold it in my pocket. It was my connection to her and for the coming weeks, it would serve as a poor substitute for touching her.

"Edward, how was your flight?" William walked over to me with a petite, brunette vampire on his arm. I raised an eyebrow at his choice of date, but he just smiled and said, "What can I say, I've taken a liking to girls with big, brown eyes. Do you fancy them yourself, Ed?"

I rolled my eyes. "The flight was fine, William, and my preferences in the opposite sex are quite private."

Her sickeningly sweet smell hit my nose before her voice sounded behind me. "You prefer blue eyes, right lover?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose and bit back a snarl. "I think blue eyes are cold, Tanya. I prefer warmth." William snickered at my comment, and I knew where his thoughts were, and I was more annoyed now that he had heard my intimate moments with Bella. "Also, I'm not your lover, please refrain from spreading gossip."

"We are engaged, Edward." Her voice was commanding, as if she was trying to convince me what she was saying was true.

I smiled inwardly as I thought about Bella and how she would use that tone with me. Her voice filtered through my head, _"You want to massage my feet, Edward."_ It worked every time, too. I think it had more to do with the person issuing the instruction, though because I looked Tanya square in the eye and said, "We are _not_ engaged, Tanya. I have never asked for your hand nor do I have the intention of doing so. In fact, I only see you once a year and have never made any advances toward you."

The other guests near us stopped and watched with interest. Tanya's eyes were narrowed into slits, and I could feel the rage rolling off of her. I had no desire to provide the onlookers with any further entertainment, so I steadied myself and took a calming breath.

"Good evening, Tanya."

I moved to face William, essentially turning my back on Tanya, "William, good luck with the challenge. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around, somewhere, maybe in an entirely different hemisphere."

He coughed to hide his laugh. "We'll see won't we? Tomorrow morning at eight, the Challenge begins. Don't be late, Ed."

"I wouldn't dream of it." I turned and walked toward the exit. I had not seen any of the brothers tonight and I was grateful for that small mercy. They didn't normally attend such crowded events anyway. They were more the 'hide in the shadows' types.

Of course at that moment, I turned down a dark hallway and heard voices drifting towards me. My fingers brushed against my phone, and I held my head up as I greeted the rulers of the world.

"You're Excellencies." I bowed my head.

"Edward, we're practically family, you don't have to use formalities with us."

Judging by the look on Caius' face, I needed to maintain the allusion. So I spoke in a flattered voice that I had perfected in my years at court. "My Kings, I wouldn't be giving you the respect you deserve by using your given names."

Again Aro waved my words away. "Then call us what you'd like, Edward. Are you prepared for the Challenge?"

I nodded. "I believe that my tracking abilities are very strong and that I stand a good chance of winning the contest."

"You've been made aware of the rule changes, correct?" Marcus asked tiredly.

I looked to Aro, who was trying to contain a sinister smile. "The Challenge will feature twenty trackers this year instead of ten."

I felt my brow furrow, my chances decreased greatly with that number. I had to keep my at ease demeanor in place, so I smiled at the brothers and said, "Well, that changes things! This might be a lot more fun this year."

They started to walk passed me and Caius laughed. "Oh, my boy, it's going to epic."

When they were out of sight and ear-shot, I slumped against the wall. My dream of having a life with Bella was getting further out of my grasp.

_Maybe I should just tell them._

No, that would never work. They would kill us both.

_Run now. Change her before they realize you're gone and hide._

I could hide from them for years, but it was not a life I wanted for Bella. If we were going to see the world, then we couldn't be on the run.

_Win the Challenge, run to Bella, change her, marry her, and announce it to the vampire world._

It was still the only option that might work, and I was not too sure how they would take it when I changed a human for a mate either, but with a win on my back I might able to get away with it.

I heaved myself up and took sprinted down the corridor and out of the entrance to the castle. I ran deep into the woods and found two large cats that the brothers had shipped in for me. After I fed, I found a tall rock formation and climbed up it. I listened to everything around me and when I was satisfied that no one was near, I pulled out my phone and quickly typed in her number. It rang a few times before she answered, breathlessly.

"Edward?"

I would have sobbed if the air hadn't been knocked out of me by her voice.

"Sweet girl, I miss you so much. I hate it here."

"Are you okay?" Bella asked quietly.

I shook my head and sighed. "Not really. There was a ball tonight and I spent the evening avoiding Tanya and squashing engagement rumors, then I ran into the brothers and they told me instead of ten trackers there are twenty for this Challenge. I _need_ to win this, Bella." I said it all in one breath.

I could hear her tears. "Edward, I don't know what to do. Are we in danger? Should I run away and hide or just wait for you to find me after they release you to look for the target? You can say you found me along the way and couldn't resist biting me. I'll do whatever you tell me."

My hands tugged at my hair. "I don't think they know about us, but keep that plan in mind, okay? If I text you the date of our anniversary, then you run, do you understand?"

"Yes, but how will you find me?"

I thought quickly and smiled. "You remember the vacation that I took you on for our two year anniversary?"

"San Francisco?"

I smiled. "Yeah, there. No one knows we went there, right?"

"I never shared that weekend with anyone," she whispered and my chest constricted.

"That ranks up there with being one of the best times of my existence," I added softly. We were quiet for a moment before I continued, "Go to the same condo we stayed at, Bella. Stay for as long as it takes me to get there. If you get a text from me while you're there with our anniversary date, it means that we've been caught, and I need you to run as far away as you can, got it?"

"Is this necessary, Edward? Are we going to be in that much trouble if they find out? Do you think they know something's up?"

I thought about Tanya and the Volturi, how they were banking on this marriage, how they would be humiliated that I chose a human. Yeah, everything I was doing was necessary.

"I'm afraid so, sweet girl. Go ahead and get packed, so you can leave at a moments notice. I don't know if they are aware you're human, but I think they realize I'm resisting them for some reason." I looked at my watch. I had three hours until the Challenge began. "I need to go now. I've got to get changed and ready, we're starting at eight."

"I love you, Edward." Her voice was soft and sweet.

"I love you, Bella. Be safe."

I hung up and made sure to delete the call from my log. I checked again and to make sure her number was gone from the contacts and that all her texts were deleted. Then I walked at a human pace back to the castle. It took me an hour to get back, and when I reached my room, I stripped out of my tux and took a scalding shower. I didn't know when I would get the opportunity to have the luxury of a bathroom again, so I enjoyed it.

I thought about Bella and how I had effectively erased her from my life. I could not smell her on me anymore; she wasn't in my phone, I deleted the e-mail account that I created so she could talk with me throughout the day. I had nothing tangible of Bella with me. _I'd never felt so alone._

After I dressed for the Challenge, I lay down on the bed and went over my strategy. _Get the scent, get the continent, run. _If at anytime I felt that Bella was threatened, I would go to her.

The more I had thought about how many things could go wrong, the more I realized that William was right; I should have changed her a long time ago. It was my own foolish desire to have something in common with her that would be our downfall. It was a silly time limit, but I wanted us to be the same age forever. I didn't want to change her, marry her, when she was younger than me because she was already so much younger than me. Physically, we would always be equal this way.

I was stupid.

I took a deep breath, stood up, and glanced at the clock. I had an hour until we were to be escorted to the immersion room. I needed to be down there, mingling with the other trackers. It would be in Bella's and my best interest if I could figure out my biggest threat and try to work around their system of tracking.

The walk to the gathering room was much too short, and the noises inside were too loud. I heard the boisterous laughter and cocky remarks from down the hall. When I pushed the door open, I was greeted with shouts of welcome. I waved at everyone and took an inventory of all the faces.

There were several past Challenge winners, some from as long as a hundred years ago.

Stefan and Vladimir were brothers who had won the Challenge back-to-back.

William, Garrett, and Randall laughed at something off to the right and four other nomads, James, Peter, Charlotte, and Alistair stood next to them beside the wall. I was a bit taken back by James' inclusion. He wasn't that great of a tracker and got sidetracked and confused easily. He was also the loudest vampire I'd ever had the opportunity to meet. It was comical to watch. I shrugged it off though; the brothers were probably short of trackers at such small notice. Besides that, it was the remaining ten vampires that caused me to pause and panic.

They were covens.

Siobhan, Liam and Maggie stood huddled together and pointed out different groups in the room. Situated toward the exit were the Egyptians, Amun and Benjamin, who talked peacefully with the Amazons, Zafrina and Senna.

I took an unneeded breath and turned to face the final three members that would round out our twenty. Dread filled my very being and I wanted to run for the door.

The Guard.

Demetri, Jane, and Alec.

I controlled my response and made my way to William. This would be a different challenge all together. The brothers changed the rules, and I hated to see what they would make us chase after. Since covens had been involved this time in the Challenge, we might be given more than one target and that would mean more time away from Bella and a bigger chance that I would lose.

As I stood next to William, I looked at the covens again and realized a trend within the groups. At least one vampire out of each group had a special talent that was not tracking.

In our world, the most common talent was tracking. Although some of us were better than others, Demetri for example, is the best tracker known to our kind. It made sense that the talent is common, we use smell as a means to hunt, or we did at one time. However, there are _elevated_ talents, like Maggie, who is a lie detector or Benjamin, who can bend the elements.

Finally, there were _dangerous_ talents like Zafrina who can invade your mind and inflict any vision she wishes. Alec, who immobilized his victims and left them at the mercy of the Guard. He was only used when the Volturi needed to deal with a crazed vampire. Then there was little Jane; unassuming, but pure evil. She caused pain and anguish that had brought many vampires to their knees. She was used as the punishment before they were destroyed.

"So, do you think they are making it a team game this year, Edward?" James asked casually as he stared at the covens.

"I'm not sure. It might not be a team thing as much as there will be multiple targets and they want to see how well we nomads work together. I don't think we'll be picking team captains, I think we'll be expected to forge alliances to win," I answered as simply as possible. I didn't mention the talents or how the Volturi stacked the odds in their favor by sending out their most prized Guard members.

"I think that's the best idea, I've heard," said William and he sighed deeply. "I really didn't want this to take months either, but it's looking that way now. Do you think they'll give us targets on different continents and force us to go between the oceans?"

There was a groan from the ancient Romanian vampires as Stefan leaned towards us. "If there's a God, then I will pray to him that they don't do that. I'm too old to be at their beck and call."

Vladimir laughed and walked up beside Garrett. "He's still holding a grudge against Aro for not letting him rule over our homeland. He's such a spoil sport."

I smiled while the others laughed at the only ancients we had ever met that had known the brothers during the formation of our world.

There was a crackling noise that caused all the vampires to stop talking then a loud voice stated, "Please make your way into the immersion room. We will be starting the Challenge process momentarily." The voice echoed through a loud speaker in the ceiling, and Stefan gave a disgusted noise before saying, "In our time, we would have been treated like royalty for being masters of our skill, now we are herded like cattle by a voice from above."

"Aro did always believe himself to be a God, brother." Vladimir smirked as we filed into the adjoining room.

It was different from the last time I had been in the Challenge. Instead of two rows of chairs in the middle of the room, the walls had been evenly spaced with twenty vertical, padded stations. They looked like gym mats that had been torn apart and hung against the wall to lean in to for support. Each contender stood next to the padding that held their name, and the voice spoke from the ceiling again, "Stand with your back flush against the wall."

We did as we were told and steel bars came from the wall behind us and locked us in place. There was an outcry from all of us as we struggled against our restraints. I noticed the Guard were calm, and wondered if they had been given a heads up on what was coming or if they were trained to accept any act the Volturi used on them. I didn't entertain that thought for long because the wall at the head of the room lifted up to reveal a window, in which Aro, Caius, and Marcus stood behind.

"Good morning, everyone!" Aro said, cheerily. "This is going to be such fun. We have a few announcements to make and some alterations to the rules to address."

I looked at William who was directly across from me and he rolled his eyes. Aro had always been dramatic.

"As you can see the number of contenders has been raised, and this year we have placed our own Guard into the running. Just to spice things up a bit, you know?"

Aro was silent for a moment and then smiled menacingly. "Let's find out who our target is shall we? Then I'll explain the rest of the changes." He pressed a button next to the window, and I heard the vents start to turn on. I closed my eyes and prepared to take in a much of the scent as possible, to remember every detail of it.

The scent wafted to down and circled my head, swallowing me whole. I shuddered as I exhaled, and my body locked down. Had this scent been near me two days ago, I would have been calm, relaxed or aroused, now as it covered me, my breaths were ragged and my jaw was twitching.

I knew that if I looked around the room that the others eyes would be black with hunger and if I looked in a mirror, my eyes would be bright green.

I swallowed convulsively and tried to remain calm, but another strong wave hit me and I closed my eyes tight against the emotions inside me.

The scent seeped into my clothes and I shook my head. This was pure, untainted, Bella.

I breathed in deeply and tried to locate the edge of my scent that should be around her, but all I smelt was her and an artificial ring around it. They had erased my presence from it. I started to move against my restraints, but I looked up and saw a wide-eyed William who looked just as panicked as I was, shake his head quickly at me.

"Smells nice, no?" Aro's voice was cruel, and I looked up at him. His eyes were locked on me.

_He knew._

I didn't even bother to mask my emotions because it would do me no good now. The Volturi knew, and I would have to race across the world to get to her.

_If he hadn't killed her already._

A sob threatened to escape when he spoke again, "As you can see, the girl's blood is delicious, a true singer. There are other rule changes I must share with you before I give you a location, though. First, you can prevent any of your fellow contenders from reaching the target, by any means other than destruction. Understand?"

We nodded, and I realized I would have to fight through them to get to her and with Jane in the pack, that would be damned near impossible to do.

"The last change is simple, so consider it a reward." Aro turned to face me again and his lips pulled back in an evil smile. "The target is a singer and since those are so rare, we are giving the winner a very sweet prize." He cocked his head to the side slightly and I swallowed hard, desperate to know what fate he promised of Bella. "Whoever gets there first can drain the girl if they choose."

My knees buckled, and the metal restraints were the only thing supporting my weight. I needed out of there, I needed to text her, she needed to run, _right now_.

"Your location is North America." Aro finished with a flick of his hand towards us. The metal bars retracted and the others ran for the door, my body was still held against the wall. William nodded slightly as he ran passed. He would help me, I knew. I struggled against the bars and my growls were getting louder and more hostile.

"Did you think you could hide from me, boy?" Aro's voice caused my head to snap back in the direction of the window. "I know everything, Edward. You've brought this own yourself, if you're lucky you might get there just as her heart—stops—beating—" He punctuated the words by tapping the glass.

My snarl rattled the window and Aro smirked.

"Good luck, Edward. By the way, you're the only one that knows where she's at. I want to make this memorable for you."

The cables retracted, and I sprinted for the door and down the corridors. I tried desperately to make up for the seconds I had lost.

_Show me how fast you are, Edward._

Bella's voice swam in my mind and pushed me to go faster, and soon enough I was gaining on the group. I passed the ancients and didn't stop when they called my name. I ran until I was closing in on the Leonardo da Vinci airport in Rome. I pulled myself together long enough to purchase a ticket to New York City and go through security.

My thoughts were jumbled, but I knew that I couldn't lead them straight to her. Aro made the game fair; the Guard was clueless and would need to start somewhere. I would get to New York and then run to Boston. Get on a plane to Kansas. I would let them think I was still keeping my circle strategy, and then I would break for San Francisco.

I pulled out my phone and send her the text that I had been dreading, _October 15, 2005._

Two minutes later my phone buzzed. _Be safe and hurry up._

I tried to smile, but my body was fighting it. There were so many things I needed to say, but I was too close to too many ears to call, so I sat in the plastic chair and waited for my flight, as I tried to remain sane.

William appeared and sat beside me. There were a few other nomads with him, but I wasn't paying attention to who they were. I had not even realized I was rocking in my seat until he grabbed my shoulder and stilled me.

I turned at looked up at my long-time friend. I felt my eyes pricking with tears that would never fall and my body trembled.

"Oh God, William." I choked out a small sob. "She's alone. I left her alone."

* * *

So, it begins. Let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5: Found

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to LadySharkey1 who betas and Jen328 pre-reads for me. They both keep me on track and smiling.

Every 5th chapter will be BPOV. Here is the first.

* * *

It didn't make sense, but my bed was so _cold_ without him in it. The entire house was cold and lonely when I woke up. I knew he'd be gone, but it did not make it any easier when I rolled towards his pillow and met soft sheets. I always loved how he slept with me, even though he didn't actually need the rest. He'd just smile and say, "I like being near you, Bella. I mean, there's nothing I want to do anyway, if you aren't there."

I sighed and threw the covers off my body. It was just after nine and I was surprised that I'd actually slept in that late. I walked to the closet, and since I was feeling particularly needy, I pulled on one of Edward's faded t-shirts and breathed in his scent. I felt tears prick my eyes, but I brushed them away. It wasn't like he had left me, he'd be back soon and we would be fine. _We can live our lives without fear._

I slipped on some sweatpants and went downstairs. As I walked down the hall I couldn't help but look at the photos there. They told the story of our relationship. There were several of Edward and I in the beginning stages of our romance, standing side by side, not really touching. The next pictures showed Edward's arm wrapped around my waist or draped across my shoulders as I leaned against him. They were full of memories from vacations, weekend getaways, birthday parties, and lazy times around the house.

As much as Edward's appearance in my life was sudden and at the time, unwelcome, I soon realized _he_ was what I had been missing. Initially, I thought he was a persistent vampire, who was dead set on making me his next play toy.

_How wrong I was._

He was lonely, just like me, and I found myself being pulled to him by some unseen force. It was the longest two weeks of my life as I warred with my thoughts, but finally I agreed to date him. It was in that moment I said yes, that I knew he would be with me forever. His green eyes lit up with an innocent excitement that I'd never seen from any of his kind and his relief was palpable.

He never gave me a reason to regret my decision to be with him and as the months turned to years, I understood that it was fate that brought us together. He was changed into a vampire so he could survive long enough to meet me and save me.

I heard a buzzing sound and looked around the kitchen quickly, noticing my phone sitting on the island. I hoped it might be Edward, but knew it probably wasn't.

I flipped it open and answered, not bothering to look at the caller ID. There weren't many people that had my number, so I never screened my calls.

"Hello." I walked to the cabinet and grabbed the Frosted Flakes off the shelf. Edward hated the artificial sweetness that they left on my lips, but I loved them.

"Hey, Bella! I really need to apologize for the other day," Alice's voice floated through the speaker.

I rolled my eyes. One of the things I never mentioned to Edward was the lack of confidence our friends had in our relationship. He might have known, but it wasn't something I offered freely. I didn't know how women would tell their spouse that their friends hated him. I wasn't one of them.

"Alice, I know you guys don't accept it now, but I really hope you learn to. We want you all to be in our lives afterward. It seems rushed, but Edward and I have known for years this was going to happen, and I honestly thought you guys figured it out, too." I took a big spoonful of cereal and pulled the phone away from my mouth so she wouldn't hear the loud crunchy noises in her ear.

"I just want you to think about this, Bella. I mean, Edward seems nice, but is he just trying to make you relaxed so he can drain you?" She said it carefully, but I still almost choked as I swallowed. "Emmett says that's how they lure you in by promising you forever."

"Emmett doesn't know Edward! He's never even tried to get to know him! If Edward was going to kill me he would have done it by now, Alice." I shook my head, even though she couldn't see me. "I don't understand this; you were all fine with him. Even when we talked about a wedding, you and Rose seemed excited. The moment he mentioned changing me, you all act like he's Satan or something. I just don't get it. I mean he was going to be in your wedding!" I pushed my bowl away and huffed loudly.

"It's not right! You have to see that your relationship is a dead-end, Bella." She was getting frustrated. "He has nothing to offer you! We're just trying to be good friends and look out for you. Edward is a vampire, Bella. I don't know how much older he is than us, but how many human girls do you think he has done this to? And we only asked him to be in the wedding because we didn't want _you _to feel bad that he was left out." She sounded like she was talking to a child, condescending and full of self-righteousness. It was too much to deal with, especially since Edward was not here to tell me she was wrong.

"I need to go, Alice. I'll call you." I hung up before she could answer and laid my head against the cold granite countertop.

I knew that they would eventually voice their opinions about Edward. I just never realized how much they disliked him before. Then I thought long and hard about our years together; they never really did anything with him. Sure, we'd have group dates, but everyone kept their distance from Edward and the only times they would come over to the house was when he was gone or, like the other day, when I had said we would be leaving shortly after they got there.

This was too much.

I needed him home. Edward had been gone less than a day, and I needed him to be back. I walked out the back door and stood on the small deck that he had built shortly after he moved in. He said we needed a place to lay on summer nights so we could see the stars. I sat on the lounger and leaned back, and brought his shirt up to my face, I closed my eyes and smiled.

_"I've never really paid attention the stars before, Bella," he said, placing a plank of wood down and nailing it to the support beam._

_"What do you mean, you've never paid attention them? You don't sleep, Edward, surely you've spent hours staring out into space." I sipped my coffee and watched his forearm tense as he gripped the hammer. He had amazing arms._

_"Sweet girl, you don't know how I was before you. I was terrible company. Moody, depressed, angry. I hated people, because they didn't appreciate the life they were given and I hated vampires because they thought they were gods, taking lives as they saw fit. I've been all over this world, Bella, and to me it was all the same." He walked to the chair I was sitting in and dropped to his knees in front of me. "You are the reason I want to look at the stars. Everything seems so much lighter with you by my side. For the first time in my existence, I don't wish that I was dead." _

_He touched my cheek and kissed me softly before moving back to his work. _

_"Me too." Edward looked at me with concerned eyes. "For the first time in years, I don't wish they had taken me, too." _

_Edward dropped the hammer and we were inside before I could blink._

I smiled as I remember how slow and gentle he was. How it felt like he was worshipping me. We had found our salvation in each other, and there was no way I was letting anyone talk me out of a life with him.

I let out a deep sigh.

How would we move forward, though? He had finally come clean, and I realized there was a big chance that we might never be together. If I'd known, I would have pushed him to change me sooner, so that we could have prepared to introduce me to the Volturi. Now it seemed like things were moving in hyper speed. Edward didn't even see that it was too late until it had already passed us.

My biggest fear was that Edward would be punished for our relationship. I knew it wasn't common for a vampire to keep the same human around, but with us, I never thought about how we were different. I never thought about the implications our situation would have. Now, I just felt silly that I did not see it sooner. Edward was a protector and I should have known he would keep the dirty workings of his people away from me.

I pulled myself out of the chair and walked back inside. I still had hours before Edward made it to Italy.

I twisted my ring around my finger and an idea came to me.

I raced upstairs and got dressed in a more appropriate outfit before I rushed to my car. Edward and I weren't rich, but we managed comfortably. We didn't know where Edward's money came from, but every month a deposit would appear in our account. He never bothered to look into it, but mentioned it might be portions of his winnings from the Challenge.

He had won two years before he met me, and he said it was one of the hardest Challenges in history. The continent was Asia which was large anyway, but the high population count made it a nightmare. Still, he'd won by more than a day over the other contenders. This thought made me smile and brought my hopes up a little more.

_Edward could win this._

It didn't take me long before I reached town and went straight to the small jewelry store off the main street. It sold antique jewelry, and I was certain my ring came from there. I stepped inside and immediately went in search of Edward's wedding band. He loved tangible reminders of being together and I knew it was because he had been alone for so long. It was for that reason I knew he'd be beside himself when I gave it to him. He loved _feeling_ wanted which was good because I adored him.

"Can I help you with something, miss?" An older woman came around the corner and smiled at me.

I nodded. "I think my fiancé bought my ring here and I was wondering if there was a matching band." I held out my left hand and she inspected the ring.

"This is one of ours. Princess cut, solitaire. It's Edwardian. Its mate is over here." I walked along the glass case and peered inside. "It's actually very rare for a band to be made of white gold during this era. It's not as durable as platinum, but it's still very pretty."

I held the ring between my fingers and smiled. It was a thin band that looked slightly worn. It was perfect for him.

"I'd like to buy it."

The saleslady smiled and started wrapping it up. The next time I saw Edward, I would give him his ring. He would have a symbol of my love for him even if we weren't legally married _yet_.

I paid for his ring and walked back out into the afternoon sun.

Today was looking just a little bit better.

I turned and walked down the sidewalk looked in shop windows just to pass the time. I had worked and lived in Forks my entire life, so this was more of an 'enjoying a beautiful day' than really window shopping. I reached the intersection and waited to cross, and thought about buying some coffee when I heard a shy voice to my right.

"So, would you like to go to dinner with me?"

I turned my head and saw a nervous looking teenage boy biting his lip as he spoke to the girl in front of him.

"Ummm, I don't know. I don't really date." She shook her head and blushed.

"Please? It'll be fun. I'll take you wherever you want to go," he pleaded.

His words hit me with such force that I took a stuttering breath. I'd heard those words before, right here on this same street.

_It had been a long day. I worked the morning shift at the diner then went to the small boutique across the street to work for the rest of the afternoon. I never knew that my parents had so many bills and I was struggling to keep up. I had already gotten rid of the satellite dish, internet, and landline. The only "luxury" I had left was my cell phone. When I was home during the day, the lights were always out and I took a shower every other day to save on water. _

_After cutting all those expenses, it was still hard living on a minimum wage salary with a huge mortgage. It was that or risk losing everything and I refused to have my home taken from me. It was the only thing I had left, and I wouldn't let _them_ get it. _

_I walked down the sidewalk toward my rusted truck, muttering obscenities about my co-worker, Jessica, who'd shown up to work late. As soon as I took my eyes off the sidewalk, I noticed him leaning against the building in front of my truck._

_His hair glinted several different shades of red. It was unbelievable how vivid it looked against the faded brown of the bricks. And his eyes…were mesmerizing. They were the clearest green I had ever seen. Then I glanced over the rest of him. Old flannel shirt, holey jeans, and worn boots, skin that was pale as snow._

_I looked away._

_I knew his type. They were drifters and probably responsible for most of the disappearances in town. The vampires that lived in one area tended to respect the townspeople enough not to pick them off, but the drifters, they didn't care. _

_I felt his eyes on me, but refused to look up. I had worked too hard over the last year to catch the attention of a vampire, who would probably kill me. I passed him and turned for my truck._

_"Excuse me." He was right behind me. "Can I take you to dinner?"_

_I snorted and turned around. His eyes were so much brighter when he was close. I could see how he had probably lured many girls away with them. _

_"I don't think you would like my type of food." I reached for the door handle._

_He smiled and laughed quietly. "No, I don't think I would, but I would love to sit with you while you ate. It'll be fun. I'll take you wherever you want to go."_

_I cocked my head a little and said, "You don't even know me."_

_"No, but I'd really like to." He didn't miss a beat, and I was so close to becoming his next victim. He was charming and had a smile that made _me_ want to smile with him._

_"I've got to go." _

_I hopped in my truck and drove home. I was opening up my front door when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned quickly and pressed my back against the door._

_"What are you doing here?" I whispered._

_He smiled and shook his head slightly. "I don't know. Trying to change your mind?"_

_He stepped towards me and I flinched. "Don't. Please, just don't hurt me."_

_He let out a strangled sound and moved too quickly for me to see. When I saw him again, he was down the steps and several feet from the house. _

_He cleared his throat. "My name's Edward Masen. I know that you realize what I am and that you are hesitant because of it, but I swear, I will _never_ hurt you. I just want to be around you." His voice was full of sincerity._

_I believed him, too. His eyes were pleading for something, anything, and I knew that Edward was lost. Taking in what I knew from earlier, I knew that he was a drifter and alone, searching for something to ground him. Maybe we could ground each other. I gave him a tentative smile and tossed him a line. _

_"I'm Bella Swan." _

_His returning smile was heartbreakingly beautiful, and I knew I'd made the right decision. I opened the door and as I stepped inside I heard him say, "Bella. That's perfect."_

_He was there every day, making me trust him, making me smile, offering jokes when it seemed like my day was bad. Edward never once made me feel threatened or in danger, so after the fourteenth night of him asking me out, I accepted._

_Edward just smiled then leaned against the railing, holding his head in his hands. Then he looked to the side at me and laughed softly. He said something, that at the time I didn't understand, but he would explain later._

_"I've been wandering around for eighty years, Bella, and not once did I think I was trying to find someone."_

I shook my head and finished the walk to my car. While the truck had been a blessing for me after my parents died, Edward and I decided something a little more modern wouldn't hurt, so three years ago we bought the Jetta.

I felt bad for Edward, he liked fast things, but we were in no position to buy the cars he wanted. He did talk me into visiting a Porsche dealership just so he could test drive one. He had a blast, so for his birthday that year, I rented him one as his present. We spent the whole day riding around at top speeds and then fulfilled Edward's typical male fantasy on its hood. Afterward, Edward insisted on cleaning it thoroughly because he didn't want the salesman, who happened to be a vampire, to know what we'd been doing.

I had blushed thinking about it. Edward and I were very comfortable with each other, and I knew that his body was mine to play with and vice versa. Our intimate moments weren't just about sex either. We would hold each other and talk about nothing of importance or just sit in the living room and read together. Our home was our own little world where we could just _be_.

As I pulled into the driveway, I saw my old truck and sighed. Edward wasn't there and our little world was not complete unless he was sitting on the porch waiting for me to return home, like he did on days that I worked.

The rest of the day was spent doing menial tasks to keep my hands occupied, and when I ran out of those, I finished watching the movie I had started when Edward was home. I had just about given up hope that Edward would text, my phone vibrated on the coffee table.

I grabbed it quickly and read the message.

_Just landed. Running to Volterra. I love you, sweet girl._

I typed back.

_I love you! Be safe, Edward._

After waiting a few minutes, I realized that he wouldn't be texting again. I raised myself from the couch and headed to bed.

It was still just as cold as when I woke up. After what felt like hours of trying to get comfortable I fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of Edward running through a forest, yelling my name.

* * *

The next night I had just gotten home from work when the phone rang. I had to sprint down the hall to get and noticed the name right as I flipped it open.

"Edward?" I tried to catch my breath.

"Sweet girl, I miss you so much. I hate it here." He sounded tired and slightly scared.

"Are you okay?" The excited feeling I had before was gone, replaced by worry.

He answered quietly, "Not really. There was a ball tonight, and I spent the evening avoiding Tanya and squashing engagement rumors, then I ran into the brothers and they told me instead of ten trackers there are twenty for this Challenge. I _need_ to win this, Bella."

He _was_ scared. I had never heard him so flustered and I couldn't help but feel that we'd already lost. There was no way we could be okay if Edward was this upset and I racked my brain for ways out of the situation. ""Edward, I don't know what to do. Are we in danger? Should I run away and hide or just wait for you to find me after they release you to look for the target? You can say you found me along the way and couldn't resist biting me. I'll do whatever you tell me."

I could hear his frustrated growl through the phone and almost dismissed my idea when he said, "I don't think they know about us, but keep that plan in mind, okay? If I text you the date of our anniversary, then you run, do you understand?"

"Yes, but how will you find me?" It was then that I knew I would be running away. The way he said it sounded so sure and while I was terrified, I listened as intently as I could to his directions.

"You remember that vacation that I took you on for our two year anniversary?"

I bit my lip and my blush from earlier resurfaced. "San Francisco?"

I could hear the relief in his voice from just thinking about that time. "Yeah, there. No one knows we went there, right?"

"I never shared that weekend with anyone," I whispered to him. That was something just for us.

"That ranks up there with being one of the best times of my existence," he added softly. I was lost in the thoughts of our vacation when he said, "Go to the same condo we stayed at, Bella. Stay for as long as it takes me to get there. If you get a text from me while you're there with our anniversary date, it means that we've been caught, and I need you to run as far away as you can, got it?"

My hands started to shake and I prayed that he was just being overly cautious, and that our lives were not really in danger. "Is this necessary, Edward? Are we going to be in that much trouble if they find out? Do you think they know something's up?"

His voice was strained as he spoke, "I'm afraid so, sweet girl. Go ahead and get packed, so you can leave at a moment's notice. I don't know if they are aware you're human, but I think they realize I'm resisting them for some reason." He sighed. "I need to go now. I've got to get changed and ready, we're starting at eight."

"I love you, Edward." It was the only thing he needed to hear right now. I would keep my own bubbling fears to myself.

"I love you, Bella. Be safe."

The line clicked, and I knew he'd hung up. I spent the next thirty minutes sobbing into my pillow, thinking that I might never see Edward again. Wondering how things got so out of hand. He had to have known this could be coming for us, he should have told me, and we should have had a better plan. I was angry with him for leaving me out of this, but too scared to actually yell at him if he called me back.

After I calmed down, I packed a suitcase full of my clothes and some of Edward's just in case, along with our two big photo albums. I didn't want to lose those pictures if I had to run. I lugged the suitcase down the stairs and put it in the trunk of my car. If he texted I wanted to be able to run to the car and leave.

I paced the house, and after practically walking a hole in the floor, I decided that I couldn't just wait around for Edward's text. It might not even happen. I needed to cook dinner and try to relax.

Before I cooked, I went upstairs to take off my work clothes. I saw Edward's shirt that I'd worn to bed the previously night lay hanging off the bed, and my heart clenched. The worrying was consuming me and I hoped that he would get to me fast. Then I wondered if this was even necessary. If I had been in danger, Edward would have told me, right?

I had just taken off my dress shirt when the phone rang on the night stand. I swallowed hard and took slow steps towards it. My breathing picked up and I was trembling as I flipped the cover. All the breath left my body and I dropped to my knees.

_October 15, 2005._

I pulled myself off the floor and grabbed one of Edward's shirts from the closet. As I walked out the front door, I sent a quick text, and did exactly what he had asked me to do.

I ran.

* * *

Thanks so much for reading! Let me know what you think about Bella. Next week goes back to EPOV, picking up from the airport in Rome.


	6. Chapter 6

Ch. 6: Start in the Middle

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 who betas this and Jen328 who pre-reads.

* * *

"_Ummm, Edward." I kissed her neck, trying to wake her up. She'd been grinding against my leg for the last thirty minutes and it was driving me crazy._

"_C'mon, sweet girl, wake up," I whispered in her ear before sucking the lobe into my mouth._

"_Love you, Edward," she breathed against my cheek._

A hand gripped my shoulder, shaking me hard. I turned my head to the left and looked at William.

"Edward! We need to talk. Snap out of it, man!"

I remembered where I was and what I had to do. I laughed humorlessly. "I've fucked up so bad, haven't I?"

He didn't answer, and I wished he had left me to my thoughts. At least in my mind, things were good. I brought the neck of my shirt up to my nose and breathed in her scent that saturated my clothes. I growled low in my chest when I still didn't find my scent in hers. _Untainted._

"I hate that they fucking took me out of it." I looked at William and the other nomads. "You can smell that fake ring at the edges too, right? I hate them so much for that."

Stefan stepped forward, hesitating slightly before sitting to my right. He sighed and said, "Edward, what have you done to provoke them?"

I snorted. "Like I'd tell any of you what's going on. You're just trying to find her, why would I make it easier for you? As soon as I'm in New York, I'm running. She won't die for my mistakes." I felt a lump form in my throat as I thought about her dying. "She can't die," I mumbled.

Vladimir stood in front of me, staring coldly into my eyes. "I don't know who this person is to you, but she will die if you try to do this on your own. We have no allegiance to the Volturi and quiet honestly, we enjoying messing up their games, so we are your best bet for help, Edward. You'd be wise to accept it." His voice left no room for debate, but I couldn't talk to them now, I didn't know where to begin and I wasn't telling them anything close to a location. _Never._

Garrett stepped forward and gave me a kind smile before speaking too quietly for the humans around us to hear. "Do you have a human mate, Edward?"

I nodded and felt my eyes close tightly, desperately hoping that this was all a nightmare.

"How long?" Stefan asked, curiously.

I kept my eyes closed and pictured Bella as I'd last seen her, sleeping with a small smile on her lips, her hair was splayed over our sheets.

"It'll be five years next month."

There was an intake of breath from someone and shocked gasps from the rest. I just shrugged, still seeing Bella in my thoughts.

"This is bad, Edward." Garrett's voice was pained.

I looked up at the four vampires that seemed willing to help me and smiled slightly. "We're getting married next Christmas." More unbelieving stares. "I'm going to change her after her birthday next September. I wanted us to be the same age." I felt my eyes fill with venom and obscure my vision as I looked up at them. "Her name is Bella and she's my entire existence."

Vladimir seemed baffled and asked, "If she's a singer, how have you not killed her yet?"

I met his gaze and answered as simply as possible, "She's my mate."

"If I had any idea this was going to happen, I would have told you to run when I visited." William looked so guilty and said, "I didn't know they had found her. I mean, they were just starting to use Chelsea against you, but I didn't realize they knew about your mate."

"Chelsea?" Garrett asked. "What's she been doing?"

William spoke and I stared at the floor. "She can undo bonds that people have. Like turn you allegiance from your coven to the Volturi. The brothers were trying to see if she could tie Edward to Tanya, since he has been so resistant to the idea of marriage. Chelsea told the brothers that Edward was already bonded completely with someone else."

"Is that how they found out it was a human?" Stefan seemed like he was putting together a puzzle, fitting pieces together and working around the missing ones.

"No." William looked confused. "She can't tell the species of the person behind the bond. I have no idea how they found her. As far as the Volturi know, Edward is a nomad. I didn't even know he'd established a residence in…"

"Stop!" I gasped and interrupted him. He couldn't say where we lived. They all stared at me and a thought crossed my mind and I turned back to William, my eyes were black with anger. "How did you find me, William? Did you tell them? Did you tell anyone?" My grip on the arm of the chair was causing it to crack.

He looked offended and spoke quietly, "I would never give away your secret, Edward. I found you because I was running through, ah, one of the larger cities and caught your scent. I'd just been informed that we'd be in the Challenge together and wanted to find you. I was on no one's business but my own."

"Then who told them?" My voice cracked with emotions welling up inside me.

"That's the question, isn't it?" Stefan looked out the window behind us.

We didn't speak anymore after that. Each vampire seemed lost in his own thoughts, trying to figure out the answer that I knew I might never find.

At that point, I didn't care who told them. My only concern was Bella. I spent the silence making decisions about what to do next. I needed a plan in place, so that I could mark off the tasks as I accomplished them. I knew if I didn't create a game plan, they I would run straight to Bella. If I seemed to have a specific destination in mind, the other contenders would follow, getting us both killed.

First, I looked at the nomads sitting near me. The only vampire I trusted in this Challenge was William. I had never spent any time with Garrett or the ancients, so there was no way I would tell them anything about our home. As far as I knew, William and I were the only ones who knew I lived in Washington State. The fifteen other contenders were under the impression that I was nomadic, and they didn't know that the target was Bella or that she had any connection to me.

The vampires that could cause me problems sat beside me. They knew the two most important things in the challenge. One, that Bella had lived in the same place for several years causing her scent to be very strong in that area and the surrounding ones if she traveled. Also, they knew that I could lead them to her. I needed to decide if they were being truthful with me and were willing to help Bella or if it was an elaborate scheme to win the Challenge. I came to the conclusion that I would wait on the alliance, I decided that for now the only information I would give them was what they already knew.

_Yes, think on it. You've got the whole flight to decide._

Next, I started creating a path in my mind. Places I would go first before going to Bella. When I reached New York, I'd run north along the Hudson River then turn east for Boston. From there I'd fly to Kansas, and proceed to start from the center of the country, near Lebanon, working my way out. The others would find this typical of my tracking and not worry that I might know anything. I visualized a map of the United States in my mind and made a route from Kansas. I would do one circle before cutting off to San Francisco.

Denver, Santa Fe, Oklahoma City, Jefferson City, Lincoln. One circle then I'd start the next, I'd go to Cheyenne, then Salt Lake City, and instead of cutting back down into Arizona, I would head west straight for San Francisco.

I nodded. It was a good plan. It would work.

_It had to work._

I heard my flight being called and stood from my seat.

"Where should we meet you, Edward?" Garrett stood up as well. "Our flight leaves in forty-five minutes so if you'll wait at the airport, we can leave together."

Stefan nodded. "We will do as you say and protect her for you."

I had reined in my emotions significantly, and I looked at them with a smile.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Stefan. Good luck, boys."

I made it two steps before Vladimir snorted. "The target is already dead then." My steps faltered, as I pictured Bella drained, pale, and lifeless. Her beautiful brown eyes that used to sparkle, staring at me but seeing nothing. "Let's just go to Atlantic City and wait for this to be over," he finished with an air of indifference.

_I want you to come home so we can get started living._

Her words floated through my mind, and I made a split-second decision that went against the plans I'd just made.

"I always thought it was easier to start in the middle, you know?"

_Let them figure it out._

I boarded the plane, sat next to the window, and closed my eyes, dreaming of Bella. It wasn't like I could do anything for the next ten hours anyway.

_She stood with her back to me, swaying her hips as she washed the dishes from dinner. I was supposed to have been hunting, but I came back early._

_It had been a long week, Bella had started full time at the boutique, so the half days that I had with her were gone, since she worked from nine to five everyday. She had two girls that worked with her, but they were part time. One worked from nine to three then the other came in at three and worked until closing at eight. _

_I was _adjusting_. I hated that I had to spend the days to myself and only see her at lunch. Of course, I was needy and dropped in from time to time, but my days were dull without her, and I found myself acting like a dog, waiting for her to pull up the drive at five-fifteen every day._

_Her soft, sweet, singing brought me out of my thoughts. I smiled and closed my eyes, just letting myself enjoy the moment. _

_I'd missed her so much lately. We had been trying to spend time with her friends, but I really didn't think they liked that I came along to dinners. I would sit quietly and listen to the conversation, but I didn't have anything to add, and they didn't strive to include me. We had been together a year, and I felt like I was no closer to earning their trust than the day we'd met. _

_I opened my eyes and watched as Bella rinsed another plate. I wondered if she ever wished I was human. I knew I had before, but did she? Would it hurt me if she did wish that? If I was human, I could eat with her, her friends would like me, and I could get a job to help her support us. _

_It was hard to believe that vampires were the rulers of the world, when one couldn't even get a job at a fucking grocery store. Most vampires that had jobs owned their business, and those were usually very successful covens, with decades of experience in providing for the vampire population. Then there were the "meshers". Vampires who blended in with the human world that did really well for themselves. My friend Carlisle and his wife had established quite a reputation in interior design for human homes. Even though Carlisle had years, and by years I mean centuries, of medical knowledge, he wasn't allowed to practice on humans and no vampire needed a doctor, so he was regulated to picking out paint colors instead of saving lives. _

_The nomads didn't stand a chance. We had no home, no people, and no money. We took what we needed and just wandered. It was good for me because I was a loner anyway, but then I met Bella. I already knew I was a sorry excuse for a vampire. I didn't drink the human blood; I didn't have a coven or a mate. It took meeting Bella to make me realize that I wasn't much of a man either._

_I continued to watch her and thought of all the things that our relationship would cost her._

_Financial security._

_Acceptance from friends and the world._

_Marriage._

_Children._

_Her life. _

_I knew without a doubt that one day I would change her. I was selfish and needed her with me. I swallowed hard as I came to terms with the fact I was a monster._

_I had been standing in the doorway, eyes closed, for several minutes when I felt her fingers trace my jaw._

"_You look so serious, baby." _

_I opened my eyes and looked into her soulful brown ones. _

_I'll take her soul, too._

_I turned my face away sharply and moved back several steps. She followed, she always followed me. She put too much trust in me. I didn't deserve something as beautiful as her. _

"_Edward?" _

_My legs hit the couch and I collapsed into it. Before I could stand up she straddle my hips, taking my face in between her hands. _

"_Don't move, Edward." Her voice was stern. "What's going on? You looked like someone kicked your puppy."_

_I shrugged, looking away._

"_Oh, you were hunting. Did someone sweep in a get all the good deer before you got there?"_

_I couldn't stop the amused half smile that came to my lips._

"_You should tag them or something, so that other vamps will know which are yours. Like how my mom used to write my name on my lunch sack, so no one would eat my sandwich."_

_I looked at her and saw that she was biting her lip to keep in a laugh, and I couldn't stop from laughing softly. _

"_You want me to write my name on the deer?" I smirked up at her._

_She sunk down on my lap, bringing us eye level instead of being taller than me. "Why not? You should mark everything that's yours. I'll go buy you a big, extra strong Sharpie tomorrow. We'll have a good time, I promise. I'll ride piggyback and we can chase 'em down together." _

_The funniness of the situation had left me, and I realized how absurd this all was. She shouldn't have to help me chase down my meal; I should have been able to eat with her. _

"_Hey, where did you go?" She smoothed my hair back from my face. _

"_Do you wish I was human?" I whispered._

"_I love you. I'd love you if you were human, but I love you how you are now. I would never wish that you were anything but you, Edward. I don't have a problem with what are you. Do you?"_

"_Of course. I can't give you anything, Bella! If you're with me, you'll have no human friends that don't think you're crazy, I can't support you because I can't find work despite the fact my kind rule the fucking world, and let's see…I can't marry you, and I can't give you a child." She stared at me completely shocked by my outburst, but I couldn't find it in me to stop. "Oh, and I'll probably end up destroying your soul because I know I'll turn you one day. I'm a selfish creature, Bella. I'm giving you nothing and you're losing everything."_

_I could smell her tears, but didn't meet her eyes. _

"_I choose you." Bella said in a strained voice. "I choose you, Edward. Those things mean nothing to me without you. You can't be selfish if I want it too."_

_My eyes snapped to hers. "What are you saying?" I leaned against her, placing my head on her shoulder and trying to sort through her words. I trembled under her touch and breathed in her scent. "Does that mean that you want…?" I couldn't form the words to the rest of the sentence._

_Bella pulled back and said, "Look at me, Edward." I hesitantly met her gaze. "Would it be destroying my soul if I gave it to you? I mean, it's yours already." _

_I kissed her with such passion that I was afraid it might have been too rough. She just grabbed my hair and pulled me closer. I broke the kiss and moved my lips to her jaw and down her neck._

_She breathed, "I'd give you anything." She gasped, "Give you everything."_

The ding of the seat belt sign brought me back to the present. I smiled as I realized that I'd spent the entire flight, thinking of that one night with Bella, how she handed me her life, her trust, her future. Bella depended on _me_ and she needed _me_ to be a lot more focused than I was. She needed me to save her, to step up and be the man she had always thought I was.

_She's a lot stronger than I give her credit for._

As we descended into JFK, I went back over my immediate plan, and breathed a little easier knowing that I was only a couple of days away from seeing Bella. I waited impatiently to deplane, and then practically sprinted for the exit.

Humans were used to vampires using their abilities in public so no one even looked twice as I sped through the terminal and outside into the morning sunshine. I definitely saw why humans got jet-lag, I boarded a plane at ten in the morning spent half day in the air, but instead of it being night when I landed, it was morning still. It confused me for a moment, before I ran through the city streets, leaving the smog, noise, and people behind me.

As I ran, I noticed the colors of the leaves and just how beautiful the Hudson Valley was this time of year. I wanted Bella to see them. I wanted her to be amazed at the different shades of red, gold, and orange.

I picked up my pace and started to turn east, when I heard a twig break in the distance and a piercing scream. I stopped immediately and stood completely still. The scream drifted through the trees again and I strained to hear words. I made sure that I was upwind, so they wouldn't detect my scent, and then took a few steps closer to the noises.

I heard a tinkling laugh followed by a saccharine. "What will we do with you?" Another scream. "I thought you had a mate in this race. Where did he run off to?" A muffled shriek echoed around me.

I walked slowly and before too long, I could see them. I had no idea how they'd gotten here that fast, but I figured that the Volturi had to have pulled some strings, maybe a private jet? Jane looked like a child whose toy was broken, her bottom lip puckered out as she stood in front of the girl, whose face was pressed into the dirt. The other two guard members stood to the side, watching.

Finally the younger boy stepped forward and spoke, "Sister, let's move on. We've been here for nearly an hour and I think we should let Demetri look for the target. I'm sure there will be others along the way you can play with."

Jane huffed, "Always stopping my fun."

There was another skin-crawling cry from Charlotte before the Guard backed away and ran. I briefly contemplated helping her, but decided to leave her alone. I already had four vampires that were supposed to be helping me, I didn't need anymore, besides, Charlotte's mate, Peter, was probably near by and she'd have help soon enough.

At least I knew now that the Guard was on the continent and heading north. I looked at my watch. William and the others should have landed by now. I couldn't worry about them though. I had a mate on the other side of the country that was depending on me to keep her safe. With that thought, I ran east, and soon I was greeted with the sight of Boston and the Logan International Airport.

I reached the ticket counter and purchased a ticket to Chicago, Illinois. I didn't want to automatically be in Kansas, I needed to spread my scent around a little and it made sense to start east of my intended destination.

I had forty minutes until my flight; I hadn't smelled any contenders around me so I pulled out my phone and dialed her number. She should have been there by now and I desperately needed to hear her voice.

After three rings, I heard a soft, "Hello?"

"Bella." I sagged in my chair, relief coursing through me. I head muffle a sob and spoke quickly, "Sweet girl, don't mention anything about where you're at. I know and that's what important, okay? If you were to say something, any vampire near me could overhear and I can't risk it. So, did you do as I asked, Bella?"

"I did. I did everything exactly like you said, Edward." She took a deep breath and I wanted to reach through the phone to touch her, just to remind myself she was real. "How did this happen? Do they know about us yet?" she asked softly.

"I'm not sure how this happened. I was so careful, Bella. My best guess is they found out in the last couple of weeks, and decided to work the Challenge around it when they realized our relationship."

"What?" She sounded like she was hyperventilating. "What did you say?"

"I said that this must have been something they just found out and decided to…"

"I'm the target?" She whispered, her voice shaking.

I froze. I thought back and never once had I said she was in jeopardy because she was our target. I had only made her believe that she was in danger. The second text, if needed, would have meant we'd been caught and our relationship exposed. All this time, she'd been waiting on me, thinking that she was safe now that she was in San Francisco.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I've been running and trying to get to you. I didn't mean to leave it out. I wasn't thinking, baby. I was just trying to get you away."

Her voice shocked me when she spoke again, it was hard and resigned. "We won't survive this."

My flight number sounded over the intercom and I stumbled toward the terminal. "Sweet girl, we'll be fine. Don't say things like that! I'll be with you in two days, at the most. I'll fix this, Bella, I swear."

"I love you, Edward. Just get here. I'll be better when you're here."

I got to the gate and sighed, "I'm in Boston, getting on a plane. I'll be running when I land, but I'll see you soon."

"Okay." She was detached and her voice sounded like it did when I first met her.

"I love you." I tried to push every ounce of feeling I had into those words.

"I love you, too. I promise, when you get here I won't feel like this. I just need you here because right now, I feel like I won't see you again." Her voice was hoarse, almost like she was holding back tears.

"I'll be there, Bella. I won't let you down."

I closed my phone before she could say anything else or make me forget all about the plan I had in place. I handed my boarding pass to the stewardess and walked down the ramp.

I just needed to make it to Chicago and put everything in motion.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope you like being back in EPOV. Now he's starting to get his plan in action. You might not think it's the best idea, but I promise, his allies will talk some sense into him.

BIG NEWS! A Race Against Time has been nominated for two Sparkleteer Rare Gem awards! Best Plot and Most Original Storyline. You can go here and vote:

http:/thesparkleteerawards . blogspot . com/p/voting . html

Also, my wonderful beta ladysharkey1 has written a collab with the super amazing jadsmama for the One Shot Soundtrack contest!

Their one-shot is Ch. 9 "Open Your Heart to Me." You can go here to read all the entries and then vote!

http:/www . fanfiction . net/u/2575430/ossoundtrack


	7. Chapter 7

Ch. 7: What Humans Don't Understand

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to LadySharkey1 who betas and Jen328 who pre-reads. Thanksgiving was yesterday, but you ladies should know how thankful I am for you. *cheesy*

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The recycled air of the plane smelled terrible and it took all the will power I possessed to keep breathing it in. I liked to appear as human as possible in public. It tended to freak out the person next to you if you didn't breathe for four hours.

Then, as if there wasn't enough stuff going wrong for me, a very petite, old woman was seated beside me right before take off. It was not that I didn't like old people; in fact, I figured that this lady and I had a lot more in common than most people would believe. The problem was that old people liked to talk and right now, I wasn't in a particularly talkative mood.

We were at cruising altitude for fifteen minutes before I heard the subtle shifting of the old woman and then a small sigh. "You're a vampire, aren't you?" I could not stop the amused expression from my features as I cocked an eyebrow at her. "Don't you look at me like that, boy!" she scolded, before smiling shyly at me. "How old are you?" Her eyes shimmered with excitement and I was struck instantly by how much her personality reminded me of Bella. Fearless and inquisitive.

I cleared my throat. I couldn't resist Bella, even if it was just a little slice of the similar enthusiasm that Bella shared. I smiled at her and extended my hand. "I'm Edward."

She took it without hesitation and said, "I'm Pearl. I was born in 1935. What about you?"

I laughed a little. "Pearl, I thought women were supposed to hate telling their age."

"Oh, please. You know I'm older than dirt, I know I'm older than dirt. Let's just call a spade a spade, shall we?"

I nodded. "I was born in 1901 in Chicago. I was turned in 1925, so that would make me a hundred and nine."

"You look good for your age." She was quiet for a moment then asked, "Will you tell me a story?" I must have looked confused because she added, "About your life. I'm sure you've seen some amazing things and met some fantastic people. I never really got to travel how I wanted to." Pearl trailed off quietly.

I touched her knee and she brought her eyes up to mine. I gave her the most heartfelt smile I could. "I'd love to tell you about my life. Where would you like me to start, Pearl?"

I don't know what made me do it. Was it the small connection to Bella or the fact that I had never really shared my history with anyone besides her? My chest constricted and I looked back into Pearl's green eyes, and deep down in some lost memory of a human life, I saw my mother. I saw the tragic loss she must have suffered when I vanished, never knowing if I'd been murdered or worse, changed. I looked at Pearl and saw a closure that I'd never thought I needed until that moment. She smiled at me and I saw her own need for adventure, to have one grand tale before she her time was up and she faded away. Then I listened to her heart and realized how close that really was.

"At the beginning, Edward."

I took a deep breath and didn't even think about the horrid air from the plane cabin. Instead, I focused on the sweet woman who was asking me to give her something worth remembering about life.

"I don't recall my human life very well. I know that I was a graduate of Dartmouth and that I was forced there by my father because he hated the thought of me playing piano all my life. I also know that I was…" I shook my head and grimaced. "I had never had a relationship. I had been alone." She didn't speak so I continued, "After the change, I can't explain how different it is. I don't remember much of the first two years because I was so _thirsty_."

Pearl looked at me with a sad expression. "I'd never thought of how a new vampire would feel. I imagine it's very disorienting. Did you go to your family?"

"No." I looked down. "I would have never burdened them with the knowledge of what I'd become. My maker left me during the change, so I had no caretaker. I was on my own for a few weeks before Carlisle found me. He's my mentor, if you will, a very nice vampire, noble and good to a fault. His history would be interesting, Pearl. He was changed in the mid 1600's." Her eyes went wide and she gasped. "He's got some good stories to tell."

I told Pearl all about my time with Carlisle and Esme, I talked about traveling through Europe and how the Volturi squashed a rebellion in Germany during the early forties. "From what I understand a man, Hitler was his name, was brewing all sorts of trouble and had started acting on this plan to create a master race that would rule the world. I wasn't there, but I hear his death was brutal. It ended all thoughts of change in that area though."

Pearl nodded, looking so amazed and attentive. I walked her through my life, telling her about the "British Invasion" and how the Volturi were big fans of the Beatles. She laughed, but I told her how terribly upset they were when the group broke up. I had heard talk of Aro destroying his music room after the news broke. I told her about Woodstock and how the music was wonderful, but the smell was terrible.

I had made it through the nineties when she stopped me. "Edward, your life has been brilliant, but you've been alone this whole time?"

I looked at my lap and smiled slightly. "You said you wanted adventure. I don't recall anything about a love story."

"Haven't you heard, Edward? The greatest adventure is love." She gave me a winning smile.

I took a deep breath and took in the scents. Surprisingly, I was the only vampire on the flight. I turned to Pearl and spoke quietly, "Can you keep a secret, Pearl?"

"For you, I can keep one."

"My love story is spectacular." She leaned toward me, trying to hear it all. "I fell in love with a human." Her eyes went wide. "She gave me a chance."

I paused and she motioned with her hands before saying, "Well, tell me about her."

And I did.

I spent the next two hours talking of nothing but Bella. I told her about how I followed Bella home and camped out in front of her house, how I was so worried that she'd send me away and that I'd have to watch her from afar. I detailed our first date and the slow progression of our relationship. I told Pearl what Bella's favorite color was and how her smile looked. I told her about the first time Bella said she loved me. I even told her about my proposal, the edited version of course. I left out all mention of the Challenge and how we were so close to being caught, killed. She wanted a happy love story, so I gave Pearl our story the way I wanted it to end.

"You'll change her?" she whispered.

"Yes. I'll be with her forever."

Pearl wiped away a tear and gave me a watery smile. "You're both so lucky."

"I am." I gently patted her hand before looking at the window.

As we started the decent into Chicago, Pearl asked, "You live here in Chicago still?"

I shook my head. "No. This is just a stop on my way home."

Her face fell and I could tell she had planned on meeting me again, meeting Bella.

"Well, it was truly wonderful to meet you, Edward. I don't think I've ever felt so fulfilled. Even if it wasn't my life, I'm glad to know about the things you've seen."

The seat belt sign went off and everyone started to stand, but I reached out for Pearl's arm.

"This is where you live though, correct?" She nodded. "If you'd walk with me into the terminal, I'd like to make a call for you."

She didn't question me and we made our way off the plane and into the airport. I dialed the number I remembered and prayed it was the same, otherwise I would have to track them down and I really didn't have the time for that.

"Hello?" His British accent had faded somewhat, but he still had a lilt to his words.

"Carlisle? It's Edward."

"Edward! How are you?" He asked, excitedly.

"It's complicated. I've actually got a favor to ask you." Pearl stood close by, looking at me.

"Anything, Edward."

Fifteen minutes later, Carlisle Cullen in all his timeless glory walked through the sliding glass doors and greeted us. He turned to Pearl and bowed slightly. "My name is Carlisle Cullen." Pearl drew in a sharp breath, understanding what I'd done. "My wife is making a wonderful dinner for you and we'll talk as much as you'd like." She didn't speak and Carlisle backtracked. "Perhaps, going out to dinner would be more appropriate? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."

Pearl smiled at him and said, "I've heard about you my whole life. I didn't realize it was you that was Edward's friend. My mother would pore over magazines looking at the homes your wife decorated." She paused and looked him in the eye. "You won't hurt me." Her voice was confident.

"No." Carlisle answered. "I won't."

Carlisle turned to me and smiled. "Will you be passing through again?"

"Hopefully, very soon. I've got someone I'd like you and Esme to meet."

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. "I can't wait to meet her."

"How do you know it's a 'her'?" I smirked.

"Just a feeling." With a final wave, Pearl and Carlisle left. I was torn between feeling relieved that I had given her something she wanted and guilty for wasting the flight not thinking about Bella.

I huffed and rolled my neck. It was time to get in the game. This was the time when I would need to keep all my thoughts on the Challenge and Bella. I had been given a few hours reprieve and now it was time to play.

I walked out into the crisp, September night and took off running west. I spent a couple hours crisscrossing over the mid-west, just to make is seem as if I'd been doing some searching, then I picked up speed for Kansas.

I briefly wondered if vampires had some type of inner compass. I always knew the direction to run, the degrees to turn to reach exactly where I wanted to go. I filed that thought away and prayed that maybe I would get to sit down with Carlisle and talk it out while Esme made Bella dinner. It was a far off wish, but it was still nice to entertain.

I was running through a barren cornfield in Iowa, almost to a tree line when I felt the wind pick up inexplicably. I turned in a quick circle, but saw nothing. I sped back up and barely entered the woods when a tree snapped to my left. I dodged it and another came down on my right. I tried to move around the trees, but they tumbled down all around me, too many, too quickly to keep up with. I spun backwards, a tree barely missing me only to see a trunk falling on my right. It was too late, I closed my eyes and braced for impact as it landed on me with two others on top of it.

My face pressed into the damp earth. I breathed in the decay of the leaves and dirt and my mind flashed to Bella and the time we'd had a picnic beside the Hoh River. We had been so lost in each other that we had made love in the middle of the forest on our way home. I remember picking leaves and sticks out of her hair and the smears of dirt on each of our bodies.

Those thoughts made me remember exactly what I was running to protect. I strained and struggled against the weight, but every time I'd make progress, something would land on the trees, keeping me down.

"What the fuck!" I yelled as I tried to loosen my arms enough to push.

I knew it must have been vampires doing this, but I was torn between wondering if this was the work of the Egyptian who could control the elements. Or perhaps, the Amazon, Zafrina, was watching me as she projected these images into my mind.

It was a few minutes before two vampires approached. They both jumped gracefully on the trees that were pinning me down and sat.

_The Egyptians. _I shook my head slightly. At least I wasn't in some vivid hallucination.

"You're Edward. A nomad, correct?" Amun's voice was rough and commanding.

"Yes, on both counts." I answered civilly.

"Where are you going?"

"If I knew where I was going I would be there instead of running through a fucking forest in the middle of nowhere, wouldn't I?" My patience was wearing thin with these two.

"No cause for language." He picked at the log and looked back down at me. "We just want to know if you have a lead."

I stared up at him, incredulously. "You think I'd tell _you_ if I had lead?"

"I do have you pinned to the earth, Edward." Benjamin smiled kindly at me. He probably wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for his maker.

"You do, but it's wasting your own time because, like the rest of us in the Challenge, I don't know where to go."

The logs were starting to press uncomfortably on my chest and even though I didn't need to breath, it felt like my lungs were crushing.

Amun huffed and jumped down, kneeling at my head. "We'll be leaving you then. If you find the target first though, I'm going to assume you were lying, and I'll have Benjamin do something worse than trap you under some trees."

I nodded as the Egyptians ran off. It was an hour before the trees broke enough under my constant nudges. He had piled them on strong, barely giving me room to my arms and no room to move my legs at all.

I realized I needed to be more observant. Obviously Benjamin could control the wind, this made picking up their scent hard because he could always work it in his favor. I would need to be more attentive to the noises they made.

I stood next to the pile of trees I had escaped from and sighed loudly. How was I going to get to Bella without running into these vampires? A frightening thought crossed my mind and I leaned against the fallen trunks.

_What if they are closer to her than I think? What if this running in circles is wasting time that I could be using to get her away from here?_

Honestly, I needed to talk to someone. I needed to voice my concerns and figure out the best way to proceed. I desperately wished that I had William's phone number or that I had given them a specific place to meet me instead of giving them a riddle to figure out.

If I was calm and rational, I'd realize that William was familiar with my tracking technique and he would understand my meaning, but I was scared and slightly off-balance after the encounter with Amun and Benjamin.

I was comforted by the fact that they ran south, but they could have turned towards the west coast when they were out of my line of sight.

_Meet with William, Garrett, and the ancients. I need to create a new plan._

I pulled myself together enough to start on my way to Kansas. We needed to come up with a different plan. There would be no way I could keep up the façade of circle tracking after this run-in with other contenders. The fact that some of them were moving toward, Bella only made me more decided.

The landscape didn't change as I crossed the boarder into Kansas. I could see even further on the plains because there was nothing here. Occasionally, there would be a lone tree or perhaps a farm house surrounded by seemingly endless acres of land, but for the most part, I ran through quiet, empty fields.

After an hour or so, I stopped beside a small stream and removed my shoes. The soles were gone and my feet wouldn't get hurt anyway, so I left them there along the banks, trying to convince myself that Bella would be able to pick me out another pair in just a little while.

I was in Lebanon an hour before sun-up and decided to keep running west. I didn't pick up the scent of William or the others, so I was here first and they could follow me to Gove County.

The rock formation was out of place in the middle of plains. It shot out of the earth and towered over everything near it. Humans loved to come and visit to see the natural structure. Vampires were always here two times during the day, dawn and twilight. It was the one of the most beautiful site in the world to us. The sun warmed us, the sun glowed, and it was almost perfection for a few short moments.

I climbed up Monument Rock as the sun was peaking up from the horizon.

Luckily, I was alone, and as I watched the sky turn pink then bleed to red, I let my thoughts wander. Bella would still be asleep and I didn't want to call and wake her. Besides, what would I say if she answered anyway?

_I love you, Bella, but I have no idea how to get us out of this mess. Don't worry though. I'm sure everything will work out. _

It was better just to leave it alone and let her rest. I'd call her after I had a solid plan, after I talked to my allies.

The sky shimmered briefly as the sun rose a little higher, causing the red highlights to flash brighter. I was taken in by their depth and calmed slightly by their familiarity. I closed my eyes and thought of how I had watched the sun rise everyday from our bedroom window. The rays of light would fall on Bella's hair and create the same shimmering effect to my eyes. I shivered involuntarily and imagined how her body warmed mine, like the sun did then. If it was a normal weekday, I would have been wrapped around her and listening to her heartbeat. She would speak or sigh my name, and she would definitely curl into me before waking up.

I heard them approaching the same time I caught their scent. It forced me to open my eyes and accept that this wasn't a normal day no matter how much I wished it to be.

"We were worried you'd changed your mind." William sat down on the ledge beside me. The others took similar positions on the rock.

"Just felt like coming here is all. I figured you'd follow the trail." I said as I watched the light stream across the prairie.

"It's stunning here." Stefan said. "Have you ever been to the Bucegi Mountains from our homeland, Edward? It's quite beautiful there as well."

"I've been through, but never stopped to really look." I answered softly.

"It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it?" Vladimir stated and stood up. "I don't think vampires are meant to feel this confused." We all turned our heads and he continued. "The humans would like us to believe our entire existence is an abomination, and that since we cannot die, we do not have souls. Souls are pointless to creatures that will never depart this world. We have nothing that needs to go to a better place since we will never die. That's their reasoning." He cocked his head to the side slightly. "I find this hard to believe. How can a soulless being truly appreciate the colors that weave together in this sunrise? How can we band together to prevent the death of an innocent human?" He turned to me. "How is it possible to fall in love if we do not have souls?"

"How did you fall in love, Edward?" Garrett asked.

That's when I understood why I talked to Pearl. Why I gave her my story, _our_ story.

If this went badly, I wanted someone to know that I had loved a woman with my whole heart and soul and that I was loved in return. Even if Pearl were to die tomorrow, the story of my love for Bella would have been heard by someone and that person would know that even me, a defective, loner vampire could capture a woman's heart and that in return, I could be gentle with hers.

_Just in case._

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Thanks for reading! I hope you liked this chapter :)

Until next week…

Also, A Race Against Time has been nominated for two Sparkleteer Rare Gem awards! Best Plot and Most Original Storyline. You can go here and vote:

http:/thesparkleteerawards . blogspot . com/p/voting . html


	8. Chapter 8

Ch. 8: Remember What You've Got

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thank you to ladysharkey1 for beta'ing this and Jen328 for pre-reading. ILY, ladies!

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I was quiet for a few moments, thinking over Garrett's question. I wouldn't give them the details, just basic facts. Bella's and my story was rare and special, but the closer I got to feeling hopeless, the more I wanted to hang on to every piece and keep them to myself. I decided to take our conversation in another direction. I cleared my throat and said, "I'm scared." I felt their eyes on me as I spoke, "I don't think things should happen the way I had planned. I think we should make a run for her now."

"Are you saying that you'll let the others know where you live?" William prodded.

I looked at the four vampires beside me. They had traveled together to find me, to help me save Bella. I knew without their help, I would fail. We would spend this morning making a plan and work on a way to live through this.

"We live in a small town in Northwest Washington State. Forks." I breathed out; it was too late to take it back now. "She's not there right now. I sent her away as soon as I got out of Volterra."

"Well, thank God for small favors." William sighed. "Where is she?"

"California."

"That's not far enough away from her original trail, Edward." Stefan shook his head.

"I know. That's why we need to come up with a different plan."

Vladimir walked toward me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "We're going to Forks."

"We can't! That's wasting too much time. We need to get her now." My voice was not nearly as strong as I'd have liked.

"Edward, listen to me." The ancient gripped my shoulder tighter. "The Volturi have eyes everywhere. They are watching you and they expect you to run there first. If you don't, then they will think you've tampered with the game. We need to keep the illusion up as long as possible that your mate is where she's supposed to be." I started to protest. "You're too stubborn, Edward. It will get her killed. I don't say these things to lead you on. I say them because I don't want to see what happens when a vampire loses their mate. You seem like a good boy and from what I understand that type of loss is…unbearable."

I nodded and felt my body lock down as I thought of Bella dead. I would never get to hold her or talk to her again. _That would not happen._

"What do we do?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around my middle and tried to hold myself together.

"We should run to Forks and see if we can catch the scent of any of the contenders that might have been in that area. If they got there and know she's gone, then we need to move, but if we're the first ones there, we've got some time on our side." Stefan said and stood.

"Do you think the Volturi are watching their home? What if they know she has already ran?" William asked.

"No." Vladimir smirked. "Aro doesn't think Edward would be willing to send her running. He thinks that Edward would keep her at home and run straight for her. We need to keep that up." He walked to the edge of the rock then turned back to us. "I don't think Aro intends on having another contender kill the girl. I think he wants his Guard to find them together and watch as she's tortured and killed. We need to get to her first and keep her hidden. If they find her first, they will keep her in a fog with Alec's gift and taunt you to come out and fight for her life. From there, I believe that Jane will be let out to play."

"How do you know all this?" Garrett sat stunned.

"I'm two thousand years old. I've been dealing with Aro my entire existence and in that time I've come to understand him better than anyone else. Right now, he feels betrayed by Edward and he's going to make him pay for that. Did he say anything to you, Edward? You were behind us leaving the room."

I cringed. "He said that I was the only one who knew where Bella was and that he did it to make this memorable for me."

Vladimir shrugged. "Well, I guess we need to get going. We've got a long way to run. Perhaps you can tell us a little about your mate." He suggested as he jumped from the rock.

We followed behind him and once we were all on the ground Stefan turned to me. "We don't need details, Edward. For some reason I get the impression you think we want you to talk about your sex life, and that's not correct. When a vampire finds their mate, it's an amazing thing. I don't think you've ever been able to, what's the word…" He snapped his fingers, trying to think. "Aha! Gush. You've never been able to _gush_ about your mate. Since you are the only one with a mate here, tell us about her and make us feel lonely that we have no one to return to."

"I have the sexual details if you are interested." William smiled and took off running.

"What?" The ancients and Garrett yelled at the same time and took off after him.

I sped forward, knowing they were trying to take my mind off of Bella's possible death, but hated that they were going to hassle me about our relationship. It was unheard of, a human and vampire living together and planning a future, but still, a little common courtesy would have been nice.

"She's very pretty. Beautiful even. Big, brown eyes, long dark hair, and her legs! My Lord, long, toned and looked delectable."

"Please, stop." I was teetering on the edge of my control.

"She ran down the stairs in nothing but an oversized shirt. It was priceless."

I clenched my fists together and stayed with the pack, instead of running ahead to get away from them.

"What else?" Vladimir looked hungry for more salacious details.

"Ummm, let's see, Edward pinned her to the wall and when he did, the shirt rode all the way to her waist. From the side view, her ass…"

I tackled William and we tumbled through a cornfield.

"Shut up!" I punched him as hard as I could before standing up. "You will not speak about her in this way. It's unacceptable."

William laughed and jumped up. "That last part I might have embellished a bit."

"You need to feel something other than hopelessness, Edward." Stefan said. "You need to remember that you are fighting for something not mourning it. As long as she breathes, you need to think about that."

I realized how resigned my thoughts had been and knew Stefan was right. I needed to maintain a positive outlook, no matter if I had a plan or not. We had started to run again and were silent. My attitude changed right then and I knew that if this was to work I needed to be Bella's Edward. I needed to be witty, fun and happy. I had to believe that I was worth this pain and that I would make her safe. I would be the man that Bella thought I was.

"It wasn't _just _an oversized shirt, it was _my_ shirt." I smirked and sped forward.

Just before I was out of range I heard Vladimir say, "We can work with possessive. It's much better than depressed."

If only they knew that possessive wasn't really a stretch for me. I had always been that way when it came to Bella. At first, when she was younger, eighteen and nineteen, she thought it was hot. She liked that I'd pull her close to kiss her neck or glare at guys who stared at her. Bella would let me grab her hip and smirk at would be suitors or let _me_ shoot them down for her. I liked it. I loved seeing their faces when they saw me and it made me want to pat myself on the back when they had walked away scared.

Then the novelty wore off, or more like, Bella grew up. Unfortunately, I still remained a possessive asshole that wanted to hump her leg every time a guy stared at her ass. Those were her words, not mine.

It all boiled over the night of her twenty-first birthday.

_The club that Alice had chosen was loud and dark. It smelled like sweat, sex, and cherry lip gloss. I was over the entire place as soon as we walked in, but apparently it was another "human" thing I didn't understand, according to Emmett. He was right, I didn't understand why I needed to get my girlfriend drunk then take her home while she tried not to throw-up in the car. It was ridiculous. Then I had the brief realization that this was probably why I had been single as a human, I was difficult and ornery. _

_The night progressed and Bella drank more than I expected. Pink, fruity drinks then brown liquids that smelled like rubbing alcohol, followed by little shots of clear liquor. I had no experience in drinking, but I assumed that she would be sick in the morning. We had been at the club about two hours when she sent me to get her flats from the car because her feet were killing her and Alice was too drunk to notice what she was wearing anymore. _

_As I walked back through the crowd with her shoes, I noticed someone had taken my seat at the bar beside Bella. He was tan, had dark hair and judging from where I stood I'd say that he was tall, too. I moved closer and picked up their conversation. _

_"So, we should go to dinner sometime. I mean it's been years, I would love to catch up, Bells." _

_I walked a bit faster because he was making a move on _my_ girl and that wouldn't happen. I was almost to them when Bella's voice stopped me. _

_"Sorry, Jake. I'm seeing someone."_

_Jake? Jacob? Jacob Black? First kiss, Jacob?_

_"Well, maybe after you guys break-up, you can give me a call." He sipped his beer then reached out for her hand. She let him take it and smiled._

_"I don't think so, Jake. I don't see this ending with Edward."_

_"It might."_

_Bella shook her head and laughed. "I need to go to the bathroom. I've had too much to drink."_

_She moved off her stool and I watched her stumble her way to the back. Jacob moved to follow her, and I sped through the crowd to the bathroom and entered quietly and locked the door behind me. _

_The boy had no respect. He was going after a woman that had a boyfriend. Bella was taken, she'd said she was taken and yet he continued on as if I didn't exist. I found myself getting angrier the more I thought about it and close to the same time I heard him in the hallway outside the door, Bella emerged from the lone stall. _

_She gasped then giggled, completely oblivious to my inner meltdown. _

_"Edward, you brought my shoes into the bathroom." Bella smiled at me in the mirror and washed her hands before she walked towards me. _

_I could smell him on her clothes and as she brought her hand to my face, I knew it was the one that he'd touched. I grabbed Bella's hand and spun her around with her back against the door. I moved my lips over her jaw and down her neck._

_"Ummm, I like this." she whispered and pushed her hips into mine. I reached under the hem of her dress and dragged my fingers along her thigh. "I really like this."_

_I pushed aside the lacy material and let my finger slide between her lips. _

_"You do, don't you?" I groaned as I moved my slick finger to her clit, making slow circles. _

_"Uh huh." _

_I kissed her hard and pressed a finger into her, feeling her muscles clench slightly. She pulled away from the kiss and her head thudded against the door. _

_"Edward!" It was a loud moan, that I was sure carried through the door._

_I pumped my finger faster, adding another one on the next thrust, stroking her clit with my thumb._

_"That's it, sweet girl." I licked her neck. "I do this to you. I make you wet, I make you come."_

_"Yes! You!" Her hips were meeting my hand and she was crying out with each flick of her clit. It was wrong of me and was uncalled for, but I felt so good hearing the awkward shuffle of feet outside the door and knowing he knew what was happening. _

_"Come, Bella." I said as I felt her start to shake. "Come, baby, and yell my name." I curled my fingers inside of her and pressed down on her clit._

_Her hands pulled at my hair as she screamed my name along with a few choice expletives. I removed my hand from under her dress, and licked my fingers as she came down. She was giggling and drunk and didn't have a clue that I'd done this as a need to claim her. _

_"Happy birthday to me!" She kissed my chin, and I felt guilt creep in. It was magnified when she opened the door and found a very uncomfortable looking Jacob standing down the hall. _

_Despite being drunk, she turned to me and asked, without slurring or laughing, "You didn't do that because of him, right?"_

_I blinked and looked down._

_"Oh, God." she whispered before she squared her shoulder and walked to Jacob. Bella smiled. "Jacob, this is my boyfriend, Edward Masen. Edward, this is Jacob." _

_He looked at me and blanched. "He's a vampire."_

_"Yes," Bella said quietly._

_Jacob looked from me then down to her, nothing but concern on his features. "Do you need help, Bells? I've heard how they are and if you need help then you can come to me." He leaned close and whispered, as if thinking that would stop me from hearing. _

_"Edward and I are a couple, Jake. There's nothing to hide."_

_"Yeah, because all boyfriends do what he just did to their girlfriends, Bella." Jacob looked at me with utter disgust and I realized how this looked to him, how I looked, how Bella looked. "Call me some time, Bells."_

_He turned and walked away and Bella turned on me._

_"How could you do that?" I couldn't look at her as she continued. "If it had been because you wanted to or because you were craving contact, that would have been fine, but you used me, Edward. You did this because you wanted to make some macho point that I was yours." She sighed deeply. "I thought we'd gotten past this."_

_"Bella, I'm sorry. I know it was wrong, but it's an instinct for me to _show_ others that you're mine. I don't do well with other men showing interest in you."_

_"Don't treat me like your whore, Edward. What you just did is what _others_ of your kind do." She just shook her head. "Take me home."_

_My chest hurt and I couldn't speak. I had treated her just like vampires treated their mistresses. I had used her to demonstrate my control over her, instead of being a logical man and realizing that she was mine. The drive home was silent and when we got there I followed her up the stairs. As we reached the second floor she turned toward me. "Stay right there and don't move."_

_Both feet were on the landing, right at the edge of the stairs. _

_"You were wrong tonight." she said harshly._

_"I was."_

_She unzipped her dress and let it pool on the floor, leaving her a midnight blue lingerie set. "Do you like it?" She turned in a circle, letting me get the amazing view of the cheekie panties. _

_"A lot." I nodded for emphasis. _

_Bella moved in front of me and grabbed my belt._

_"You don't touch me to prove a point to another man; you don't touch me so another man will hear me scream your name." She unbuckled my belt then undid the buttons on my jeans. "You touch me because you want to feel me come for _you_, understand?" I nodded and she pulled my pants down around my ankles. I watched as she licked her lips then kneeled in front of me._

_"Is this okay?" she breathed against my dick before swirling her tongue around me. _

_"Yes." I choked out and she started to bob along my length. I didn't know why she was doing it, but I was really happy about. I was lost in the feelings and moaning as she brought her hand to my balls._

_"So close." I panted. "Almost there, sweet girl."_

_Then her mouth was gone and cold air hit my dick. I did not even have time to open my eyes before I was shoved backward. Hard. I didn't expect it and tried to balance myself out but my jeans were still around my ankles. Right before I fell, I opened my eyes and Bella was giving me a sexy smirk. I tumbled all the way down our staircase, busting the railing at the bottom. _

_"You don't use sex to prove a point." She cocked an eyebrow at me. "Are we clear?"_

_I was sprawled out, half-naked at the bottom of the stairs, my cock still hard. "Crystal." I answered and smiled up at her. _

_She turned for the bedroom. "Don't come up here tonight, Edward." The bedroom door shut, and I let my head fall back against the floor. _

_She was _mine,_ and I was never more turned on in my life._

I smiled as I recalled that night and how I had spent it reconstructing the banister. Only my sweet girl could distract me so well that she would be able to knock me down some stairs. Still, her point was well-made. I never made that mistake again. At least not out loud, in my mind, I did some things that Bella would have hated.

As the landscape changed from plains to mountains, I stopped running to let the others catch back up. I needed that time away to think about Bella and remember all the reasons why I needed to stay focused, one of them being she could kick my ass.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed her number.

"Hello?"

"I love you." I said immediately.

"I love you, too." I could hear the smile in her voice.

"It's a good day, isn't it?" I asked.

"Very. It's pretty here. I just wish you'd hurry up already."

"We're heading to Forks first before we meet you." I answered quietly.

"We? Is someone with you? Why are you going there?"

"I've gotten some help from four other contenders."

"Is that the best thing to do? Are you sure they're helping us because they're feeling generous or because you know where I'm at and they want to win?"

"They're good guys, Bella."

The ancients were next to me in a heartbeat and I looked up at them. William and Garrett were close behind.

Bella spoke and my attention went back to my phone as they listened to us. "I was just thinking, Edward. I'm the target and you said that the contenders aren't allowed to harm a target, so it doesn't really matter who wins as long as you show up and get me, right?"

I swallowed hard and Vladimir laughed. "Who was that, Edward?"

"That's Vladimir. He's going to help us." My voice was hollow.

"Well, what do you think? I'm not in huge danger right now if a contender finds me, then I'll be fine, but you just need to run for me, preferably soon because I really feel alone and kind of scared."

"Tell her, Edward." Garrett said too quietly for Bella to pick up then leaned against the tree next me.

I ignored him. There was no way I was telling Bella that she could be killed or that the challenge rules had changed. I decided to tell her that _after_ I'd reached her. She had already said she was scared and there was no way I would add to that.

"You'll be fine, Bella. Just stay right where you are and I'll come to get you as soon as we leave Forks, okay?"

She let out a deep sigh. "All right." Bella paused. "I really miss you. It sounds ridiculous, but I can't sleep at all when you're gone."

I smiled her favorite crooked grin. "Neither can I, sweet girl."

"That was so cheesy." She said through a giggle. I could picture her face scrunched up and shaking her head, just like she did at all my lame jokes.

"I know." My allies were looking at me like I was a zoo exhibit. "I've got to go, Bella. I'll try and call again when we're on our way to you."

"I love you."

"I love you. I'll see you soon."

After I put the phone back into my pocket, William stood up. "That was bordering on sad. Does she keep your balls her purse, as well?"

I looked in the direction of Forks then turned to face the direction she was. I thought about our lives and relationship. I smiled as I recalled her eyes as I started to fall down the stairs; they were determined and slightly nervous like she was afraid of what I would do or if I would get hurt. Despite all my bad jokes or asshole tendencies she let me love her. The least I could do was admit that she owned all of me.

I shrugged. "It's a nice purse."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Next chapter, we're in Forks and I can promise some interesting things will happening….


	9. Chapter 9

Ch. 9: Tell the Truth

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 who betas these and Jen328 who pre-reads, they are wonderful.

* * *

Time.

Before Bella, I had never paid attention to it. It was endless, infinite, _empty._ I spent time roaming from place to place, and saw parts of the world that most humans only dreamed about. I had seen the beginning and the ending of new days; from watching the sun rise from the top of Mt. Hikurangi in New Zealand, to watching it set from the sandy beaches of Savaii Island in the South Pacific.

I had seen the Eiffel Tower lit up in a spectacular fashion and the dark waters of the Seine glisten with secrets from thousands of years passed. I walked through the deserts of Egypt and visited ancient burial grounds of powerful Pharaohs. I sat in the Sistine Chapel and stared at the ceiling for _hours_ trying to understand my existence.

I came to the conclusion that there was no reason to count time because I had nothing to count time for. The humans,_ they_ counted time. They had years to celebrate, birthdays to share, _lives_ that needed commemorating, simply because one day, they would run out of them. They would run out of time, but until then, they had something to look forward too.

Then on a simple day, I started to count time.

It took her forty-two seconds to reach me from the moment I saw her. Another ten minutes and fifteen seconds past while I followed her to her home. Our first conversation lasted less than three minutes and it took me one week, six days, and twenty hours for her to agree to let me take her dinner.

For the first time ever, I celebrated a birthday as a vampire. It wasn't because it was the typical thing to do; it was because I was _excited_ that she had _another_ year ahead of her. I planned New Year's Eve parties, not because Alice insisted on it, but because I would have _another_ year with her. I marked the passage of time by anniversaries, birthdays, holidays. I marked it by Bella's smiles and breaths.

I no longer wished to be unfeeling or gone, I only wished for _more time_ with her.

As I ran for our home, to that tiny town that wasn't all that special, I realized that even our time could have an end. The time I had spent before her, wandering and searching, was driven with the purpose of finding something. If she were taken away then I would need to follow. There would be no way I would be regulated to a life of observation from quizzical humans.

"We're getting pretty close." William's voice brought me out of my thoughts. We had been running for hours and it was now early Wednesday morning. I shook my head when I realized I was measuring the time I had been away from Bella.

_Five days. _

"Good, I'm ready to be still for a moment." Stefan said, keeping pace with Garrett a few steps ahead of us.

I watched the trees begin to thin and moved in front of the pack. I turned us right to stay in the woods and bypass the town. I did not want to run into any humans, especially friends of Bella's. I couldn't tell them anything anyway.

As we made the circle, I checked the air around me. There were no scents of the other contenders so I relaxed as I ran through my hunting grounds to the back of the house.

Just like before, I hit the invisible line where our scent extended. Unlike Bella, who was either edged in my scent or after being intimate, covered in it, the house and surrounding areas always smelled like us. It wasn't something that went away, simply because it adopted the smell of the people around it and that smell was me and Bella.

"My God…" Vladimir whispered as he crossed the line.

I didn't say a word; I just kept running until I reached the back porch steps. Our home wasn't large by any means. It was two stories, and held two bedrooms and one bathroom on the top floor, with the downstairs containing a living room, dining room and kitchen. It was comfy and it was Bella's childhood home, so I took great pride it in. I had repainted it last year, white with red shutters. The deck was something I had built after I moved in and I made sure it stayed in good shape and was sealed annually. There were low hedges that ran around the house that I kept perfectly even. I took great pride in our home, and I hoped that it would have been enough to impress Bella's father had he been living.

I cleared my throat and lifted the key from under the mat.

"This is my home. Come in, please." I held the door open and each of them filed in.

_Our_ scent was much stronger in here and with the pictures and little things that screamed Bella in each room it made it difficult to concentrate.

"You can have a seat here." I gestured to the dark blue couch and the two matching arm chairs in the living room. I sat in Bella's reading chair by the window and waited for them to begin.

"You have a nice home, Edward." Garrett offered.

I smiled. "Bella redecorated a couple of years ago. I didn't plan anything, but moved the heavy things and painted while she was at work."

"Do you mind if we look at your pictures?" Stefan stood up and moved to the mantel before I had even said he could.

"That's fine. I'm going to change." I stood and walked up the stairs.

I couldn't help but wonder how Bella had felt as she left here. Was she scared? Did she think someone was going to jump out and grab her as she went to her car? I entered our bedroom and looked at the closet door standing wide open, the unmade bed, her pajama pants on the floor, and finally my favorite t-shirt hanging off the bed. I went over and brought it up to my face. She had been wearing this, probably right before I called.

I immediately took off my current button down and pulled the shirt over my head. I shuddered and sighed because I felt closer to her than I had in days. I missed her desperately.

I needed to go downstairs and decide what to do next. Since we were the first here, it meant that no one else had gotten on the right track yet and realized that Bella was gone. It was a good thing, but any of them could have run through San Francisco by now. It was doubtful, but still very possible.

"What are you doing?" I heard her voice float up the stairs and I stopped breathing.

"Baking." My voice followed.

I deflated and ran down the stairs in time to see my smile on the television. Bella had been playing with her new video camera and caught me being creative. It was last year. I stopped behind the couch and smiled as she spoke again.

"Why?"

In the video, I smiled at the camera and held up a piping bag full of icing.

"It's your birthday, sweet girl."

"Tomorrow is my birthday." The camera shifted as she sat it on the counter. Then she moved into the frame. Her dark hair was pulled up and she was wearing sweatpants and a tank top. It was just us, being comfortable together.

"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't give you a treat on your birthday?"

I knew what this video contained, so I quickly walked to the DVD player as Bella said, "I think you'd make a delicious treat."

The screen went black and I looked up at the vampires in my living. They were all staring wide-eyed at the television, not breathing.

"That's private and you shouldn't go digging through things you have no business in. This was hidden."

William cocked an eyebrow at me. "We're trackers. We find things that are hidden."

"Yeah, well, I didn't tell you that it needed to be found, did I?" I took the DVD out of the player and found its discarded case. I opened the bottom cabinet of the entertainment center and reached into the back for the shoebox that we kept for _special_ videos and found the lid popped off. I bit back a growl as I pulled the box out and put it back before replacing the lid. I decided to hide them better, incase other vampires came through and found them.

That hall closet had a loose floorboard that I hadn't fixed yet, so I started toward the kitchen, holding my shoebox protectively, intent on finding a trash bag to put the box in to protect it.

"I do believe we were about to witness vampire/human porn." Vladimir laughed loudly and doubled over.

I found the trash bag and went to the closet. After the box was carefully put away, I walked back to the living room and found them pouring over the "safe" photo album Bella kept in the living room. This one had all the generic pictures that were companions for ones on our walls.

"She's very beautiful," Garrett said as they looked at the pictures from last Christmas. It was of me and Bella. My arms were wrapped around her waist and she was leaning back against me, as I leaned against the island in Alice and Jasper's home. She was smiling at whoever was talking off camera and I had my eyes closed, leaning my face against her shoulder.

"She is," I answered.

They continued to flip through the book and I grew more and more agitated. Finally, I had enough of the silence and rummaging through our things.

"When are we leaving?" They all looked up. "There have been no other vampires here; we made it first, now I'm ready to leave. I need to get to Bella."

"We'll leave within the next hour, Edward." William flipped to the next page.

"I'd like to leave now." My voice was firm and each of them sighed.

There was the soft sound of the book closing and the others stood up. I carefully placed the album on the shelf and turned for the back door.

At that moment, several things happened. The ancients hissed low and crouched into an attack stance, Garrett ran down the hallway toward the kitchen, and the back door burst open.

I was pinned against the wall before I knew who had me. Normally, I wouldn't have been this distracted, but I was in my home and I was thinking only of Bella. A tall man with sandy brown hair lifted me by my neck.

_Liam._

"My, my Edward. You've got some explaining to do." Siobhan's voice was playful as she walked around him. My allies had backed off when they realized who had made an appearance. The Irish coven wouldn't harm us, but they would want something in return for that courtesy.

I couldn't speak because of Liam's grip so I just shrugged.

"Your toy is our target?" she asked and then looked around the room. After several seconds of looking over our pictures, she placed a hand on Liam's arm and he dropped me.

"Edward, who is she?" Siobhan asked.

"My mate."

"Truth," Maggie said from the living room.

"How long have you been together?" Another question from Siobhan.

"Five years."

"Truth," Maggie echoed.

"Is she here?"

"No."

"Truth."

Siobhan leaned down close to my face. "Do you know where she's at?"

I swallowed. "No."

Maggie was kneeling beside me as soon as I spoke. "Lie."

"Did you send her away?"

"No."

"Lie." Maggie stared at me with wide brown eyes and for a moment I was lost, thinking about how Bella's eyes would look after her change. The color wouldn't change, but it would get more defined, and I wondered what colors were swirling under the brown that would be brought out, caramel or honey brown, maybe?

"What are you thinking about?" Siobhan asked.

"Eyes."

"Truth."

Siobhan's breath escaped in a frustrated sigh. "Do you plan on changing her, Edward?"

"Yes." I looked up at her for the first time.

"Truth, I know, Maggie." Siobhan stopped her before she could speak this time. "I'm sorry this happened to you, Edward. It's not an easy task to fall in love with a human." She looked at Liam and they shared a smile. "It wasn't easy five hundred years ago and it's even harder now. I can promise you that if we find her we won't drain her, but we are also in this Challenge to win it. I won't force you to give out information about your mate because I know what that kind of betrayal will feel like for you."

I nodded.

"We'll leave here and give you a few hours head start. From there we will follow the trail that you all leave. If we can get there first we will, but you have my word that she will remain alive. I would _never_ be so cruel as to kill a vampire's mate.

"I can guarantee that we are probably the only ones who would take this into account. You should go to her and hide her, change her before the Volturi understand what has happened."

I made eye contact with her.

"Edward, I know what you're going through. Try not to let this all weigh down the most important thing; she's your mate." She smiled and took a step back, grabbing Liam's hand. "Like, I said, we're still in the race, but we will not harm her if we reach her first."

With those words she turned and led her coven out the back door and into the woods behind our home.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would." William snorted and turned toward me. "We should probably get going."

I nodded and turned for the stairs. "I just need to get something and I'll be right back."

The closet door remained open, so I slipped inside and grabbed the black leather jacket that Bella had bought for me last Christmas. She had said I looked like a badass in it, and right now, I needed to feel like a badass. Then I turned and went to the nightstand. There on my side of the bed was a picture of me and Bella, taken during our time in San Francisco. She was laying her head on my shoulder with her face turned toward my neck, a smile on her lips, touching my skin. I stared up at the camera, wide green eyes and a look of utter happiness on my face. It was my favorite picture of us, and every time I looked at it, I felt her lips on my skin, smiling. I felt her love for me in that picture.

I took it from the frame and placed it carefully in the inside pocket of my jacket. I put on some black boots that I knew would survive the run, and then headed downstairs.

I entered the living room and noticed that the others sat, talking quietly about the Volturi.

"How do you think they found him, Stefan?" Vladimir asked confused. "We would have been lost trying to track him down. He lives in the middle of nowhere so how did they do it?"

"Nothing really makes sense. Edward would have known he was being followed if they trailed him on the plane back from one of his visits. I think they sent someone while he was in Volterra, when they asked him to be a part of the Challenge again. I just don't know what they did to find out where he was going when he left them though."

I stepped into the room and took a seat. They kept brainstorming, ignoring me completely.

"Could they have had trackers looking for him before? Like for months or something?" Garrett offered.

"It's possible, but the timing is so good. The refusal of marriage to Tanya, the Challenge, Bella's scent. I'd be willing to bet they did something tricky to find him," William said.

They got quiet and lost in their own thoughts.

"We should leave now," I said. I didn't wait for an answer as I strode to the front door. I didn't want to go through the woods; I wanted to walk through town to see if there was any scent around that screamed Volturi before we left. I knew that someone had come here, but never around our home because I hadn't noticed a scent when I got back from my last trip, which meant that they had to have gone to Bella's work, a place I had not gone to in three weeks.

"Where are we going?" Garrett asked as they exited the house and I locked up.

I took off running and explained to them my theory. Amazingly they all agreed with me and hoped that if we could find the scent of a Guard member then we would have some type of lead before going to Bella.

"You know if they left immediately after confirming who Bella was, then the scent will likely be gone," Garrett said calmly.

"I know, but we don't get a lot of vampires in Forks. I mean, if one is walking along Main Street, peaking in shops, people notice. If we don't find a scent then we should ask. We'll look for an hour then leave to find Bella."

Soon, we were walking at a human pace down the sidewalk toward the boutique that Bella worked. Like Garrett had assumed, there was no trail. This meant that whoever had been here came specifically for Bella's scent and then left. Direct orders.

I looked into the window the store, wishing that Bella was inside, safe. As I turned to the others I noticed the hulking form of Emmett McCarty walking toward me.

"Where's Bella?" He asked harshly.

The vampires beside me gaped at his tone and stared at me, expecting violence of some sort. Again, they would think I was crazy for dealing with humans the way I had been.

"Bella and I are taking a vacation. I missed her birthday and wanted to do something nice for her. After we finish up here, my friends will leave and I'll go back to Bella. I was called out on a small assignment." I answered obligingly.

"What kind of assignment would have you bringing _more_ vampires into our town? I think we have enough of your kind running around." Emmett sneered.

"Well, Emmett, we're looking for one of our kind that seems to be making a nuisance. We're on business to quell the problem."

"Why don't you start with those four behind you then follow along?"

Stefan clapped. "I get it!" He pointed between me and Emmett. "You take his verbal abuse because he holds some type of significance to your mate. My Lord, what a pushover you are, Edward." Stefan laughed.

"He should really be ashamed. This is quite depressing." Vladimir shot a disgusted look at Edward before turning on Emmett. "In my time, I would have killed you for impertinence, but here we are." He gestured to the street around him.

Emmett looked slightly shaken and I took the opportunity to change the course of the conversation.

"Maybe you can help us." He turned back to me. "I know not a lot of vampires come through here and we're trying to see if maybe in the last couple of weeks you noticed one hanging around here." I left out any mention of Bella.

He stared at me for a moment before clearing his throat. "A woman vampire came through."

"When?" William asked quickly.

"Ummm, Edward was on business, so I guess a couple of weeks." He shrugged and looked away.

"What did she look like?" Garrett questioned.

"She was tall, supermodel tall, with long blond hair and these weird purple eyes."

"Heidi." Vladimir snorted. "All the men remember her. Although one must be close to notice her eye color. Did you speak to Heidi, Emmett?" He intentionally smiled wide and showed more teeth than necessary.

Emmett swallowed hard, and I assumed he was frightened from the vampiric demonstration by Vladimir. "No, I didn't speak to her at all. She just walked by me."

"Lie." A small voice rang out behind us, and we turned to see the Irish coven smiling.

"What? You didn't leave town so we followed." Siobhan turned to Maggie. "Apparently, it was a good thing too."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think about this new development.

Next week is Ch.10 and that means its back to BPOV. We'll see what she's been up to in San Francisco.


	10. Chapter 10

Ch. 10: The Glass Shatters

Thanks to ladysharkey1 for beta'ing this and Jen328 for pre-reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

* * *

BPOV

Monday Sept.20

_The curtains were pulled back, letting the evening sun peak through the windows. We'd been curled up in bed all day. Sometimes we talked about what we wanted to do over the weekend, other times we were caught up in each other bodies too deeply to even form words. _

_I was lying on my stomach with my head turned facing towards Edward as he trailed a finger down my bare back. He smiled sweetly at me then started singing softly._

_The loveliness of Paris  
Seems somehow sadly gay  
The glory that was Rome  
Is of another day  
I've been terribly alone  
And forgotten in Manhattan  
I'm going home to my city by the bay. _

_I left my heart in San Francisco…_

_I laughed quietly and he stopped singing. _

_"What?" he asked. He looked suddenly shy, biting his bottom lip. "I didn't realize I was singing loud enough for you to hear." Edward cleared his throat. "Should I not sing?" _

_I reached out and touched his jaw. "I hope you always sing to me."_

A car honked in the street below and brought me out of my thoughts. I looked around the bedroom again and shook my head. Edward was always so cheesy and romantic that he didn't even realize it. I joked with him that he'd probably been there when that song was famous, and he promptly told me that he'd seen Sinatra and Tony Bennett each sing that song, and he like Sinatra better.

I sighed and opened my suitcase and started to unpack. I brought one of his shirts up to my face and relaxed a little. I wasn't really afraid, but the conversation with Edward had shocked me. I hadn't been off the plane ten minutes when he called and let it slip that I was the target. I knew that Edward had said before that the target wasn't to be harmed, so the Challenge might have already been over for all I knew. Any vampire that walked past me could have been a part of it.

_There was nothing to worry about. _

Edward just wanted to make sure that I was safe from the Volturi. Since they found out about our relationship they might take measures into their own hands. I couldn't help but think that Edward should have changed me a long time ago. We should have done things quickly and quietly.

_There were a lot of things we should have done differently._

I needed to stay some place far away from home until Edward came and finally put our plans in motion. I had no doubts that I would become a vampire sooner than my next birthday, and that didn't really bother me. I'd been prepared for this step; Edward seemed hesitant on it though.

I tried to push away the feelings of anger and betrayal that had been working their way into my heart over the last few hours since Edward's text, then phone call. Hell, since the second night he came home from Volterra and I'd met William.

Edward hadn't been honest with me. He had never really told me the truth of how his world viewed humans. I knew that our relationship was unusual, but I had no idea that he wasn't supposed to be with me in that way. Even though vampires were the rulers over us, they were still very secretive. It was almost as if they didn't want to be _known_, they just wanted to make sure humans didn't kill each other and destroy the world. They were more like overseers than true government.

Still, it hurt to know that he had lied for so many years, even if it was to protect me.

_I just needed to enjoy my mini vacation until Edward arrived._

I took a deep breath and finished putting away our things. I left the photo albums on the bed. They contained all of our cuddling pictures and just casual pictures at picnics along the river or sitting on the deck. I loved them.

I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. It was almost eight at night and I had been traveling pretty much all day. I was starved and exhausted. Edward told me that the house held the bare necessities because it was rented out sometimes, so I was able to fix a sandwich.

I sat down at the kitchen table and looked at the beautiful living space I was in. The condo was located in the Marina District just a few blocks from the bay and Municipal Pier. It was two stories and had a garden out back with a few benches scattered around. I had wondered how Edward found this place on such short notice when we first visited and how we could afford it. I later learned that it was owned by his friend, Carlisle. Apparently, Carlisle bought it right after it was built in 1934 and held on to it through the years. In fact, he and his wife had lived in San Francisco during the sixties and seventies, Edward had visited quite often, he even stayed for a couple of years.

I picked at my food and wondered if I'd ever get to meet Carlisle and Esme. Edward talked about them once in a while, but I'd never been offered the opportunity to meet them. I was also sure that Edward didn't ask them if we could borrow their home for the weekend of our first visit or this time. The more I thought about it, the more I realized just how hard Edward worked to keep me away from vampires. In all our years together, William was the first friend I had met and I knew of no other vampires besides Carlisle and Esme, and that was in name only.

_They didn't know about me either._

I pushed away my plate and stood up. I didn't like these thoughts. Edward wasn't here to refute them and right now, it started to look like he lived two lives and did everything in his power to keep them both a secret. The question repeated in my mind as I walked up the stairs and into the bedroom.

_Which one was he ashamed of?_

* * *

Tuesday September 21

I woke up the next day and realized I had slept in really late. It must have been all that running away in the middle of the night then traveling practically all day.

After I made some coffee, I sat down at the table and called work. I told them that I was going to be gone for a couple of weeks and that I was sorry for the short notice. It had worked out fine. I hadn't used any sick days or vacation time in two years and besides Jessica, a part timer, wanted the extra shifts. With my job taken care of, I called Alice. I figured that everyone would freak out when they realized I was gone and probably thought that Edward had finally done away with me.

"Bella?" Alice sounded hesitant.

"Hey, Alice."

"How are you?" She seemed really tentative as she spoke.

"I'm fine. I just wanted to let you know that Edward surprised me with a little vacation, so we'll be gone for the next two weeks."

"Oh." She cleared her throat. "Will there be any major changes occurring during this getaway?"

"No, Alice. I just didn't want you to worry. I need to go now."

"All right."

I hung up saying "bye" quickly. I had way too much to deal with without adding onto it. I would have to deal with our friends later after all this Challenge stuff was over. Until then, I pretended that they didn't have an opinion.

I pulled myself away from the table and went back upstairs. I took a long, hot shower and washed away yesterday's travels since I was too tired the night before. Afterward, I got dressed and opted for Edward's t-shirt. I knotted it at the side so it didn't hang so low on me and decided it was time to get some fresh air.

I made sure I had my key and wallet then locked up the house. I walked down the street toward the pier, taking in the sights and sounds of the city. I loved it here. The old houses, the steep hills, the view of the bay from the top of one of them. It was gorgeous and I hoped that one day, Edward would want to live here, too.

It didn't take but ten minutes to get to the bay and I smiled as a cool breeze blew off the water. It wasn't quite fall yet, but you could feel that it was getting cooler. After I watched the water for a few minutes, I went in search of food. I ended up buying a vendor corndog and fries then reclaimed my bench. It was calm and peaceful, a far cry from the looming danger that was supposed to knock on my door.

My phone started to ring in my pocket and I almost dropped my food as I hurried to answer it.

"Hello?" I gripped the container of fries as they threatened to fall.

"I love you." His voice was soft and earnest.

"I love you, too." I smiled as I looked out over the bay.

"It's a good day, isn't it?"

"Very. It's pretty here. I just wish you'd hurry up already." I needed him to kiss me and tell me everything was going to be all right and that he loved me more than anything.

"We're heading to Forks first before we meet you."

His words barely registered before my mind went into overdrive. "We? Is someone with you? Why are you going there?"

"I've gotten some help from four other contenders."

Four? My voice was giving away all my doubts as I rushed out, "Is that the best thing to do? Are you sure they're helping because they're feeling generous or because you know where I'm at and they want to win?"

"They're good guys, Bella."

How was I supposed to know if they were good guys? All my thoughts came back to me from last night; Edward never introduced me to anyone, never told me about his vampire acquaintances. What if he didn't know them as well as he thought? Why would he need their help anyway?

I didn't ask each of the many questions that spun in my mind, instead I condensed them. "I was just thinking, Edward. I'm the target and you said that the contenders aren't allowed to harm a target, so it doesn't really matter who wins as long as you show up and get me, right?" I heard a laugh and started to get upset. This wasn't funny at all.

"Who was that, Edward?" I said in a questioning tone.

"That's Vladimir. He's going to help us." His voice sounded strained.

"Well, what do you think? I'm not in huge danger right now. If a contender finds me then I'll be fine, but you just need to run for me, preferably soon because I really feel alone and kind of scared."

Edward was quiet for a few seconds before he finally said, "You'll be fine, Bella. Just stay right where you are and I'll come to get you as soon as we leave Forks, okay?"

Why was he so dead set on going there? I wasn't there! I began to think his strategy was stupid and pointless, but didn't want to start a fight so I kept my thoughts bottled up. "All right. I really miss you. It sounds ridiculous, but I can't sleep at all when you're gone." I know I sounded whiny and I did sleep fairly well the night before, but that was from exhaustion. Tonight would be difficult.

"Neither can I, sweet girl." He spoke softy.

"That was so cheesy." I couldn't help but shake my head. He was the same Edward; he was just trying to make sure I was safe. That was why he'd taken his time. He'd protect me at any cost.

In the back of my mind though, a little voice was telling me that something wasn't right, but I ignored it.

"I know. I got to go, Bella. I'll try and call again when we're on our way to you."

"I love you." I gripped the phone tighter, knowing our connection was about to end and willed it to stay with me.

"I love you. I'll see you soon."

Then he was gone.

I spent the rest of the day moping around in a haze.

_Maybe this was what Edward's life had been like before me? It was probably worse._

I went back to the condo and ordered pizza then flipped through our album until I fell into a restless sleep.

* * *

Wednesday September 22

I stared out the window as the sun rose over the city.

I hadn't slept much at all and when I did I would have nightmares about a man with long blond hair as he chased me and no matter which way I turned, he'd always be in front of me. The dream ended with him twisting my neck to the side and biting down.

I tried to shake it off, but a feeling of dread crept up my spine the entire time I got dressed. I craved Edward's scent and it made me feel safe even though he wasn't with me, so I pulled on another shirt of his and tied it to the side.

"You need to get here soon." I whispered and hoped that he'd _feel_ that I needed him.

I made a breakfast out of cold pizza and coffee. It wasn't too bad of a combination. I needed to grocery shop a little if I had to be here much longer, but I figured I would wait until Edward called again. Hopefully, he'd be in Forks soon.

_I mean, the man doesn't sleep or get tired, surely he ran straight through. _

It was lunch time and I got the last two slices of pizza out of the box, grabbed a book from the small library, and then headed to the back garden.

I sat down on one of the benches and untied the shirt to pull it down over my bent legs. The wind was a bit chillier, and I didn't want to go back inside for a blanket so it sufficed.

Several minutes later, the book was balanced precariously on my knees as I took a big bite of pizza. Then I heard a branch snapping behind me. I turned quickly and was greeted with the man, _the vampire_, the blond killer from my dream.

He looked down at the stick he had broken and sighed heavily.

I turned and ran while he was distracted, but just like in my dream, he was in front of me before I could stop and I ran right into his stone chest. He was cool to the touch like Edward, but gripped my arms too tightly. I knew that I'd bruise later and I sincerely hoped that's all I came away from this encounter with.

He smiled down at me then scrunched his face up and sniffed directed into my face. He moved to my neck and sniffed there too, like he was some hunting dog.

"Fuck!" He shouted and pushed me away.

I stumbled backwards and almost landed on my butt. When I found my balance, I stared wide eyed as he paced and muttered to himself, "Fucker always wins everything. Thought I got here fucking first and now I can't fucking have her." I expected him to kick some rocks to end his childish tantrum, but he stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned back to me.

"Well, at least he did things differently, I guess. I wouldn't have even considered keeping you as a toy before I drained you. Although, I'm not sure the Volturi said we could use you first." He scrunched his face and shrugged. "Tell Edward I said "fuck you" when you see him because I sure as hell ain't waiting around for him to prance back in here." He was almost to the fence again when he turned and looked around. "I don't expect you'll be able to leave the house again so it's nice that you have this little garden."

He jumped the fence and I heard a crash and a muted, "Son of a bitch!"

My heart pounded and I was on the verge of crying.

_I was just attacked by the dumbest vampire in history._

Still, I kept repeating his words over and over.

_Before I drained you. Before I drained you. Before I drained you. _

The contenders were allowed to harm me?

_Oh my God._

My breathing had turned ragged and I ran into the house. I left my meal and book scattered in the rocks. I locked the door, but a strangled laugh escaped when I realized that it wouldn't really matter if it was locked or not.

I ran upstairs to the bedroom and slammed that door too. It was all futile. If a vampire wanted me then all they would have to do is come inside. Locks didn't work on them and the old myth of a vampire needing permission to enter was a load of shit.

I huddled up on the bed and pulled Edward's shirt to my face and breathed him in. It was the only thing that saved me. _His smell._ I knew I still faintly smelled of him because he told me before he left, but his shirt, drenched in his scent, it's what saved me.

_That and the fact that the blond vampire was clueless._

I started rocking slightly and my previously disintegrated anger returned full force. Edward wasn't _just_ consistently cheesy, apparently he was pretty adept at lying too.

Everything was lie. Our relationship was forbidden, yet he kept that from me. He never told me about the danger we were in or trusted me enough to talk to me about our situation. Edward took everything on himself and I was just there. The Challenge had either changed its rules or Edward had lied about not hurting the targets. I couldn't decide if he didn't want me to know that he would kill someone or if it was just this time. _Just me_.

My mind was reeling and I sobbed hysterically.

What if all this was a lie? What if I was just the girl he was messing around with? What if this was all some sort of elaborate scheme to have another vampire kill me and then he would get off free.

_This is Edward. Edward loves me. Edward would never hurt me._

I tried to calm down, but it just got worse because I kept hearing Alice's voice in my head asking how many girls he'd treated like this before me.

I don't know how long I sat on the bed and cried while I struggled to breathe, when my phone rang out with Edward's ringtone.

I choked out between sobs, "You're a liar."

* * *

So there you have it.

With this update you were given dates, just to make the days more tangible. Remember, Bella is human and days have names and meanings. You know now that Edward

called her late Sunday night (Monday morning in Italy for him) and told her to run. She arrives in SF, Monday afternoon. I hope that doesn't confuse you at all.

Thank you for reading & I'd love to hear what you think about this. Next week, we pick up with Edward at his convo with Emmett.


	11. Chapter 11

Ch.11: Caught

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328, my beta and pre-reader (respectively). They are wonderful ladies.

I'm posting this a day early because tomorrow I'm going home to Texas.

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer =)

* * *

I stared down into Emmett's dark blue eyes and saw fear. He swallowed hard and his heart rate sped up. He didn't want to tell us what had happened, and I could understand that. I didn't want to tell Bella a lot of things and most of the time, I'd kept to myself, but what Emmett was hiding was something I _needed_ to know. Whatever Heidi said could lead us, hopefully, to finding out how the Volturi found me and how I could avoid it in the future.

"I'm not lying." He shook his head and broke eye contact. I rolled my eyes. He was just screaming honesty right now.

"Lie." Maggie seemed bored.

"Anyone can tell he's lying, child. We don't need you to tell us that." Vladimir flicked his hand in a "shoo" gesture.

"But we'd love for you to tell us when he's speaking truthfully," Stefan added, looking put out at his brother's lack of tact.

"Did you and Heidi speak, Emmett? It's very important that we know the truth because depending on what she asked and you told her, I'll know how much danger Bella and I are in," I said calmly and Maggie sighed. I glared at her, showing her that my lies were all right in this interrogation. I _knew_ how much trouble Bella and I were in already.

"All she said was hi and walked past me." Emmett kept staring at the sidewalk, ignoring our stares.

"Lie." William beat Maggie in speaking and walked beside Emmett. "You're a horrible liar. Just tell us so we can go."

This went on for several minutes. I would ask the same question and Emmett would say the same thing. I'd just given up hope when Vladimir stepped forward and pushed me backward to stand with the other vampires. Emmett tried to back away, but Vladimir grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. His voice was just loud enough for Emmett and us to hear.

"I didn't say you could leave, boy."

_This_ was the Vlad that I'd heard stories about, the man with the charismatic personality that could flip and become deathly cold and callus in an instant. I'd never seen it in person before and had I been Emmett, I might have started to beg for my life.

"Now, I've lost my patience for this game of yours. You will tell us whatever it is you know and you will do it _now_." His voice was hard. I realized then that all the talk of him having the ability to hypnotize people into doing his bidding or giving up information was completely false. All he had to do was speak in that tone of voice and people would kneel before him if he said so.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Emmett stared straight forward.

Vlad smiled and shook his head. "Do you know who I am, boy?"

"I don't care," he answered.

"Truth." Maggie chimed from the back, caused Vlad to turn around and gape at her and forced us to stifle a laugh. He sighed and rearranged his features again before he turned back to Emmett.

"After our kind took over, not many humans were happy about it." Emmett looked back at the ground. "In fact, there were uprisings all over Europe the first two hundred years after the Volturi rose to power. I had been around for many, many years by then and was exceedingly put out by the humans and their completely _futile_ attempts to regain control of the world." He put a finger under Emmett's chin and stared him directly in the eyes. "You cannot beat a vampire, child."

Emmett struggled to remove his face from Vlad's fingers.

"I had a bit of a temper then, you see. I blame it on the brothers thinking they were so powerful. They are still arrogant and I look forward to the day that they learn, just like the humans did, that vampires can't be controlled." Vlad released Emmett's chin. "Are you familiar with history? Do you know of a Romanian in fifteenth century that crushed uprisings from humans, boy?"

Emmett's head snapped up and he paled. Vlad smiled.

"You know me then. Well, I'll tell you this, human, I will not hesitant to run a stake through your skull if you do not tell me _exactly_ what I need to know." Emmett's breathing picked up and he looked like he was about to faint. "I've given my word to Edward that I will protect his mate, and I don't take oaths lightly."

After several seconds of Emmett opening and closing his mouth, he began to stutter. Vlad cut him off, "The next words out of your mouth better be an extremely detailed explanation of everything Heidi did and said. If that obnoxious child says 'lie' one time…" He trailed off as he let Emmett decide what the consequences would be.

"She was standing by Bella's work." I sucked in a breath as I imagined Bella being so close to any member of the Guard. "I didn't really pay too much attention at first because when vampires come through town they always go to that store to shop. I think it's because they know that Bella is with a vampire or something."

"It is." I told him.

"She never went in though. She just stared through the windows for a really long time and it was freaky, so I walked towards her. I just wanted her to leave. After I got over there, she started to walk away, so I figured that she must have sensed my tension and left. She got a few feet from me before she looked back at me and said, 'I think you can answer some questions of mine.'

I followed her to a bench a few stores down. Mostly, I was curious as to why she'd want to ask me anything."

"Did you meet Bella that day for anything?" William asked.

"For lunch with Rose." Emmett cleared his throat.

"Then she caught Bella's scent on you. That's why she asked you to follow her," William said and Emmett sighed heavily.

"The first thing she said was, 'I'm here investigating claims of an unsavory coupling between a vampire and human.' I was so fucking confused and she must have seen it because she said, 'Do you know of any vampires that have taken human mates in this area?'

The growl escaped my chest and I couldn't contain the panic and rage that built inside of me. I knew then that Emmett had told her everything. He told her all about me and Bella because he thought I was going to be taken from Forks by the Guard. I stalked away and leaned against a brick building. I tried not to listen to him as he continued on, telling them all how he'd spilled intimate details about our life like how long we'd been together, how long I had lived with her, and even about the time he'd caught us in a very compromising position in the storage room at Bella's work. I was fuming and the venom kept pooling in my mouth. I was getting tired of swallowing it down and knew I needed to hunt soon.

"She told me that they'd take care of him. She said he's breaking laws and that I just needed to be patient and not say anything to anyone because this was a long-standing investigation and they didn't want Edward to run."

My fist was through the brick before I even realized I pulled it back. I wanted to blame him, tell him it was his fault if Bella died, but I knew that it was _my_ fault.

"I'm sorry if this gets Bella hurt. I never meant for her to be hurt," Emmett whispered. "I just wanted you gone."

I strode away from the wall to stand directly in front of him.

"I love her more than anything in this world. I will take care of her; make sure that she has everything she could ever want. I will never hurt her or treat her poorly. I will always strive to make her happy. Why is this not enough?" To my own ears, I sounded crushed.

"You're a vampire."

"I would give up my life for her."

"You can't die though. You're not in the position to promise that, Edward." Emmett's voice was annoyingly calm.

"We can die, Emmett." He looked up at me. "I would end my existence if she died. More importantly, if I could, I would give up immortality to be with her. I dream of nothing more than being _human_ with her. She's giving up so much to be with me, but I desperately wish that I could just be normal for her. I want a family with her, to have children with her." My words were broken at the end. I could picture Bella with a cute, round belly and knowing that our child was growing there, but then Emmett's voice made the image vanish.

"I just don't understand, Edward. You don't have a soul." I flinched at his pitying tone. "How can you feel that?"

There was a collective intake of breath behind me, and I knew they expected me to lose my mind at that comment. Instead, I reached in my jacket pocket and took out the picture that I had stowed there. I held it in front Emmett and said, "Does this man look like he doesn't know what love is? Does he seem unable to comprehend the feelings that are in him?" He just stared at the image. "Does she look like she would be with someone who couldn't fathom love? Someone that doesn't have a soul?"

Emmett looked up from the picture back to me. "I'm sorry, man. I'm so fucking sorry."

"Truth." Maggie whispered and looked toward the street.

I sighed and put the picture back in my pocket. "I've got to go." I turned back to the others and looked pointedly at Siobhan. "You stay here for at least four hours, got it?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, Edward."

I took off running, not looking back to see if my allies followed me. They had made me a promise, and I knew they would all deliver.

I wasn't any closer to finding out how the Volturi had found us, but at least I knew how they knew Bella wasn't just some random human toy. It was just another thing I would worry about later. The trees blurred around me and I pushed myself faster than I'd ever run before. I needed to be with Bella, to hold her in my arms, and feel that she was real.

_That she loved me._

I kept imagining the picture in my mind and how she looked. There was no way that she didn't love me. Everything that we were spoke of our love for each other. My main concern needed to be her safety. I realized I hadn't called her in a day, seeing how it was mid afternoon. I slowed down somewhere outside of Portland and waited for her to pick up.

It rang several times before the line clicked and I heard a large intake of breath before a loud sob. "You're a liar!"

I stared down at the phone, forgetting I was still moving and slammed into a tree. I landed on my back, looking up through the canopy at the blue sky and listened to her cry harder. I was terrified.

"You said that I was safe! You told me that you never hurt a target!"

"Sweet girl, the target isn't to be harmed." I choked out, hating the lie. "Why would you even think that? You're safe." My voice was pleading. "What's going on, Bella?"

She stopped crying and her voice turned so calm. "Then why did I get attacked by a vampire when I was in the garden earlier?"

I sucked in a breath and my free hand went to the place my heart should have been beating, racing, with panic.

"Why did he grab me? Why did he only stop when he smelled you on the shirt I was wearing?"

"I, I…" My mouth wouldn't form words and I felt like everything crashed down around me. Everything was catching up to me, and I wasn't ready yet.

She continued, "Why did he say that he didn't believe that the Volturi allowed you to _use_ me first?"

"Bella, I was just trying to keep you safe. I'll tell you everything when I get there. I didn't want you to worry if you didn't have to." I needed to calm her down and then we'd talk when I reached her.

"I had a reason!" She yelled. "Someone came for me, Edward! You weren't here to stop it! If I had known that they could hurt me, I would have locked myself in this house and never gone outside. I wouldn't have spread my scent from here to the fucking bay!" Bella's voice was shrill, her tears gone, but the pain still evident in her voice.

"I was going to tell you when I got there, Bella. I just didn't want to tell you over the phone." I sat up and leaned back against another tree.

"Were you really?" She scoffed. "Do you even want to be with me or were you just hoping that someone would get to me first? Is that why you've been taking your sweet ass time getting here?"

She had every right to be angry with me. I hadn't told her the full truth on everything that we were going through, but she shouldn't have doubted my love for her. Everything I did was to make sure she was safe. I needed to know more about this vampire that had found her. If I knew who it was then I would know how quickly the Volturi would find out that Bella left Forks.

"Did the he tell you his name? What did he look like?" I interrupted her as she was yelling again about my lack of concern for her life.

"What?" She asked slowly.

"Did you get the name of the vampire who found you? What did he look like?" She was silent. "If I have more information about him, I can tell you whether or not he's going to come back and I'll know if he'll run to the Volturi."

"That's really what you want to say to me? After everything I just told you?" She growled, "You aren't going to apologize for lying and treating me like I'm a child?"

"Bella, when I get to you, we can discuss everything that has happened and I promise to tell you all the details. I can see how you'd be offended by my half truths, but I didn't want you to worry. I wanted you to be happy and not scared. You've been happy our entire relationship, right?"

I was preparing myself for her to finally leave me. I listed all my shortcomings again in my mind and how I'd failed her the past few days and knew there was no way she would want to keep me any longer. Still, I had to keep her safe until it was over. Even if she didn't want to be with me afterward, I would keep her safe.

"Fuck you," she whispered.

It felt like my chest was being crushed and the air was gone from my lungs. I closed my eyes tight and prepared for the rest. My first and last love was about to break me.

"That's what he wanted me to tell you. He was blond and he sucked at being a vampire. I mean, he was loud and he sniffed me like a dog. I'm pretty sure he fell down the hill on the other side of the garden wall when he left, too." Her voice was still soft as she stopped speaking.

"James." William said from behind me.

I hadn't even noticed they were there or when they'd shown up. They all looked tense as they took in my huddled form.

"Well, he's stupid so that works in our favor. We need to get to your mate now and then take her away. Do you have a place you can hide while she transforms?" Vladimir asked.

"Chicago. I need to go see Carlisle." I nodded, tried to make myself believe this was the best option.

"Carlisle is an old friend of the Volturi. Is this a good idea?" Stefan looked less than thrilled by my plan.

"Yes. He's the one who found me after I was changed. He kept me safe and taught me to control myself. He'll approve of Bella's change that way the Volturi can't say that I did things out of order."

"I'm leaving, Edward." Her words were soft but determined. I yanked the phone away from my ear as if it had burned me. "I'm not staying here where they've already found me. I'm leaving and you can just meet me there."

I placed the phone back to my ear and avoided the stares of the others. "Absolutely not, Bella! You stay in that house and don't go outside. We can't risk another move, okay? I'll be there in six hours or so."

"I'm done doing what you tell me to do. You've always kept things from me; you've deemed me too innocent to hear the truth. Our relationship has been based on carefully told lies from you, Edward! You tell me just enough so that it answers my questions, but not truthfully enough so that I know it's not as easy as you make it seem. I'm leaving San Francisco as soon as I pack up my clothes. It'll take ten minutes and I'll be long gone by the time you get here."

My hands were clenched into fists and I desperately wanted to hit something. I couldn't control this and I had always known that I had _never_ controlled her. A broken banister and a severely bruised ego had proven that to me.

"Bella, don't leave. I'm telling you that you can't."

"I don't trust you right now, Edward."

Her words pierced my heart.

"Let me have the phone." Stefan reached for it and I pulled it away. "Give me the phone, Edward. Vladimir and I have never led you astray."

I handed it to him and listened.

"Bella?"

"Who's this?" She sounded worried.

"My name is Stefan. I'm a friend of Edward's. My brother and I are helping him keep you safe from the Volturi. I overhead your conversation with young Edward and I must tell you that he is positively crushed."

"What?" Bella's voice went high.

Stefan smiled at me and cleared his throat. "Dear child, this situation is complex. There are so many different players in the game, so it's very important you do as we say right now. The good news is it was James that found you. The boy is very stupid and can't track to save his own life, but he does have a very big mouth. If you stay right where you are and let him run back across the country, which he will do because he'll forget he can actually get on a plane, then he'll tell the others and they'll stop searching. However, if you randomly jump on a plane and run into another contender, you won't be lucky. There is a difference between Edward's scent being on your clothes and when his scent is inside you. Pardon me for being so graphic. You must sit and wait on us, Bella."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. I've been around for a more than a millennia, I know how to outsmart Aro and his Guard. As for Edward's other lies, I say you must do with him what you will, but don't risk your life to try and prove to him that you can do as you please. I believe that you're much smarter than that, child."

Bella was quiet for a few seconds then answered, "Okay. I'll stay, but I'm not done yelling at him. He was completely disrespectful to me and our relationship."

Stefan laughed. "Gather all the vases and fun things around the house to throw at him. I think that's something I'd pay to see. "

Vladimir nodded.

"We'll be seeing you soon, dear. Take care." Stefan handed me back the phone and said low enough for only me and the others to hear, "You can forget the reunion sex I'm sure you were so excited about."

They all laughed at me and I turned away from them to speak with Bella. I didn't need to hear their sarcastic comments on my love life.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'll explain, I promise."

"I'll be here. Be careful."

She hung up and I let my body slump against the tree.

"Well, we're still a few hours away so do you just want to mope for a while or do you want to start running?" Garrett asked before he took off in the direction we'd been heading. I didn't worry about him, he was slow.

"Get up, Edward. The emo, broody guy doesn't need to surface right now. You dug this hole, so get yourself out." William left next.

Stefan just shrugged as if saying, "I've done my part here," and took off after the others.

Vladimir was left and he had that scowl on his face that was usually reserved for Aro. "I didn't entwine my future with yours because I thought it would be fun, Edward. I took a very big chance in helping you and you will straighten up and go get the girl. You're not the only one that has big things riding on the success of this venture."

He pulled me up to stand and I tried to fight him. He was too strong though and I ended up with a forearm against my throat with my back against a tree.

"I've waited for years for an opportunity like this. Do you know how often Aro missteps? It might not seem like a big deal, one human and one vampire mating, but it is. If her change is successful, I believe that big things are going to happen."

He removed his arm and I cleared my throat. "What are talking about?"

Vladimir smirked. "I believe that Bella has a talent."

* * *

Thank you for reading! I hope you don't think this cliffy is too evil…


	12. Chapter 12

Ch. 12: Don't Hold Back

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thank you to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. *Insert dramatic pause* I would be nothing without them.

I hope you've had a great holiday and that NYE will be fun for you! You're getting this early because tomorrow I'll be in the car all day again. Enjoy.

* * *

"What?" I felt my brow furrow.

Talents were not common things, so immediately I worried. If Bella had a talent when she was changed, the Volturi would definitely be interested. It was just a matter of time before they found us, and I was planning on it being after her transformation, mostly because she'd be harder to break as a vampire. If they found her when she was human, I didn't know what I would do.

"I don't know for sure, Edward." Vladimir shrugged. "I do know that Chelsea was concerned when she spoke to Aro before your arrival. I'm not getting into details with you. The fewer that know this is a possibility, the better." He started to jog away and I followed. "I only gave you that much because you're losing sight of the goal. You want your mate safe, so stop acting like a scolded child and move on."

"What do you want, Vladimir? You're making it pretty clear that you're gaining from this as well. I won't have you putting her in danger just because you think it will make Aro look bad." My voice was harder than I anticipated and Vladimir turned and smirked.

"I don't want Aro to look bad, Edward. I want him to realize that he isn't untouchable. Even the most powerful vampires throughout history needed to be reminded of their mortality every once in a while. I'm simply hoping to see him knocked off his pedestal. I could care less what the world thinks of him."

I didn't respond to that, but ran faster and passed him, catching up quickly to the others and took the lead.

As I ran, I tried to come up with ways to approach Bella. I needed to tell her the truth no matter what question she asked and no matter how harsh the answer. She would be scared and she would probably be even madder at me after it was all said and done. After all, I had basically conned her into a relationship that wasn't accepted in either of our worlds.

I sighed and picked up my pace. I would gladly be her target for sharp objects if she was all right.

We were close to the city, so I stopped. We needed to decide how to cross the Bay. We couldn't run across, no matter how fast we were, because it was always crowded with cars and pedestrians. Our choices were to swim or to call a taxi.

"I'm not swimming anywhere, Edward." William shook his head and the others nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps would could walk at a human pace over the bridge?" Stefan said quietly. "It would take time for the taxi to arrive, Edward. We'd be halfway over the bridge by then."

"Let's walk it," Garrett said enthusiastically. "I've never done that."

"Fine."

We ran until we were within walking distance of the bridge and then slowed to a leisurely pace. It was the just before midnight and the bridge was lit up. I imagined that for humans it was the appropriate amount of light to allow them to see, but for a vampire it was almost too much.

"Maybe I'll try this again during the day," Garrett said as he squinted his eyes and looked at the pavement.

"I've never understood the fascination that humans have with illuminating the darkness so. It's completely ridiculous to view light as a security blanket. I can see perfectly in the dark anyway." Vladimir huffed.

"Yeah, but you can't see for shit with all this light can you?" William laughed and quickly moved a few steps forward and avoided the fist that grazed his shoulder.

"Respect your elders, son." Vladimir looked like he was trying to hide a laugh.

I'd never really realized how much I'd missed out on when I had avoided simple friendships. I liked these vampires with me. They were loyal and surprisingly funny.

"So, should we wait outside while you try and calm the missus down?" William asked as we made it to the end of the bridge.

"No, you may come in. Bella will mostly likely be asleep. She's had a very trying day, so she probably went straight to bed." I swallowed hard, hoping that she was asleep. I really didn't want to have this conversation in the middle of the night surrounded by vampires who would most likely make snarky comments that only I could hear while she yelled at me.

"Oh, Edward. Even _I_ know that she'll be waiting up for you." Vladimir snorted.

We quietly made our way to Market Street and the house that Bella was staying in. I stood on the sidewalk for a moment, breathing in deeply. I caught Bella's scent, her true scent with my impression on it, and then there was James' scent. I kept back the growl that tried to form and took two steps before I stopped again.

I closed my eyes and sighed in relief.

_Her heartbeat._

I was shoved in the back and turned to scowl at whoever did it.

"Edward, let's go inside." Garrett motioned to the door and I crossed the remaining distance and jiggled the door handle.

"It's locked," I said, dumbly.

"Well, I guess we're sleeping out here tonight." William said sarcastically. "You're a vampire, Edward. Open the door."

One easy turn and the lock gave. I shuddered thinking how simple it would have been for James to come back and take her or any other contender for that matter.

I walked down the entry way, listening for Bella. I got to the kitchen when I realized she was upstairs.

"You all can stay down here. Watch television or read." I waved my hand dismissing them and turned for the stairs.

I didn't pay attention to what they said as I ascended to the second floor, and I really didn't care. I let Bella's scent fill my head and I felt overwhelmingly happy despite our situation.

_She was still here._

I reached for the knob and heard an intake of breath from the other side, as her heartbeat sped up. The door creaked opened slightly, and I called her name.

There was a sob then the feet running across the carpet, when the door was pushed opened all the way she was standing two feet from me. Cheeks flushed, eyes watery, hair pulled back and messy. We locked eyes and she ran for me. Before I knew it, her legs were wrapped tightly around my waist and her fingers were threaded into my hair.

My breath caught in my throat as I finally felt her body against mine for the first time in nearly a week. The rush of having her with me and her being all right came out as a choked sob as Bella burrowed her face into my neck.

We didn't speak for several minutes, just basked in the feeling of completeness. I took several deep breaths of her scent and let them settle inside me and knew she was doing the same. Finally, Bella pulled back and released her legs, I let her slide down my body and watched as the initial joy of seeing me was replaced by a hesitant mask.

_I caused that_.

She took a couple of steps back, eyeing speculatively. I said the first thing that came to mind.

"You're so beautiful, sweet girl." I took a step and reached out and traced the curve of her jaw. "I can't tell you how much I love you and how badly I've missed your presence." I closed my eyes and let her surround me again.

"I'm still mad at you."

"I know," I whispered.

"Can you hold me for a minute before we talk? I need you close to me, Edward. I've spent the last three days trying to convince myself that you weren't leaving me to die." She tried to laugh, but it fell short.

I took her in my arms and relished in the warmth between us. How her body made mine feel alive, how I felt complete, and loved. "Bella, if something happened to you, I would be following as closely as I could afterward. There's no life for me without you."

I kissed her hair and tried not to hold onto her too tightly.

"I'm really tired, Edward. Can we sleep now?" Her voice was fading and I knew that if I didn't move, she would fall asleep against me. "I feel like I can rest now that you're here."

I moved us to the bed and curled around her. She fell asleep almost immediately.

"Do you really sleep, Edward?" Vladimir asked, still downstairs, sarcasm lacing his words. "You'll have to teach me that trick."

When I didn't answer, they went back to snooping around this house, their "tracker" abilities in full effect. I wanted to tell them that it was no use, we had nothing here to find, but figured they needed to keep occupied for the next few hours anyway.

I held onto Bella and let her scent saturate my clothes and slowly it started to seep into my skin. We were both too clothed for that type of transfer to fully happen, but I enjoyed having her essence surround me. I also loved that I could smell me around her and that the artificial smell had proven to be just an illusion from the Volturi. I tried to get my thoughts in order for our big conversation, but I ended up watching the facial expressions she'd make in her sleep and listening to her breaths.

_Push over._

I had missed her much more than I had allowed myself to realize. As I held her, I knew that I would never make the mistake of leaving her alone again. I would always be there to protect her and comfort her. I would change her and make her strong like me. If Vladimir was right, she would be stronger or at least more talented than me.

It was almost dawn and Bella rolled toward me. I lay down on my back and she threw an arm over my stomach and a leg over my hip.

That was when I saw it.

I sucked in a sharp breath as I took in the handprint that marred her pale bicep. It was dark purple, and although Bella tended to bruise easily, this bruise was deep and more than just a superficial mark she would have gotten from hitting a doorframe. The print of his fingers curled around her arm and I could tell that if I looked on the underside of her arm, the thumb and forefinger of the bruise would touch.

I swallowed down the venom that pooled in my mouth and bit back the growl that attempted to rip through my chest. _I can't wake her up._ She'd had a horrible few days and needed her rest. Bella felt safe enough to sleep with me near, so I reined in the vengeful monster inside of myself and concentrated on the important things.

_He left her alive. _

_I'm holding her in my arms. _

_She hadn't yelled at me yet. _

I repeated those things over and over until my eyes landed back on the bruise and my body tensed again.

_He marked her. She was scared. I lied and she was hurt because of it. I caused her pain, I let this happen. _

As I slowly disentangled myself from her grasp, she burrowed into the pillow that I had been laying on.

"Edward," she whispered softly. Her breathing leveled back out and I walked out of our room, down the stairs, through the living room, ignoring the vampires that had sat down in front of the television, and walked into the garden.

_I had hurt her. _

_My stupid plan had gotten her hurt. _

_I might as well have put those bruises on her body myself. _

The growl I'd been holding in escaped and I kicked the bench in front of me and felt the satisfying crunch of the stone as it crumbled beneath my foot. I stalked toward the back wall and breathed in deeply as I registered _his_ scent next to it.

I turned and followed his path, eventually stopping right before the deck where his and Bella's scents met. I let it all surround me as I imagined the scene. She must have been so frightened and he was probably so thrilled that he'd managed to get to her first. I wondered if the bruises happened before or after he caught my scent on her. If he caused them after, I could possible understand his anger, never enough to stop me from trying to destroy him when I saw him again, but it made sense. However, the bruises most likely came before he smelled me. James was probably excited and when she ran, he had chased her.

"What exactly are you doing, Edward?" Stefan asked as he stared and me strangely.

I didn't really know how to answer him. I was thinking of Bella, thinking of James, thinking of my own failures. "I'm surrounding myself with my mistakes, Stefan. It's just as painful as I thought it would be." I closed my eyes, blocking my allies out.

"I really hope she throws something at him or at least yells at him for a while. I think we should buy his mate a nice gift because if she's put up with him for any length of time, she must have never ending patience," Stefan added. I felt the air shift next to me as he moved away.

"He touched her," I whispered and opened my eyes. "He left bruises. It's my fault."

"Yes, partially the blame falls on you," Vladimir said as he stared over the garden. "You need to accept it and move on. While you did cause this to be brought on her, at least in part, it was you that has saved and will be saving her life."

"You just spent the last four hours upstairs with your mate. She's with you, Edward. She's safe as long as she's with us. You will have to worry about her confronting you, but she's safe at least." Garrett sat down on one of the other benches.

"If this plays out the way I'm thinking, we might get to listen to some hot make-up sex." William added as he bounded past me and hopped up on the garden wall.

"Trust me when I say that you will be nowhere near us if Bella actually accepts me back into our bed," I muttered and toed the ground.

"Well, what's the plan now?" Garrett asked. "Are we running, driving, flying, or taking a bus to Chicago? And another thing, can we find out who thinks the Challenge is over? Do you think we'll run into other contenders along the way?"

I found myself increasingly put out by Garrett's questions. I had no answers for any of them and the ancients looked deep in thought. They were our best bet at getting out unscathed.

"There's no way to tell which contenders have been given the wrong information by James or even if he has ran into anyone yet. We should proceed with extreme caution to Chicago. I believe that we can make it there much safer by plane." Stefan sighed. "Do you think that Carlisle will grant you permission to change, Bella?"

"Yes. Absolutely," I answered quickly.

"Do you think she still wants it?" Vladimir cocked an eyebrow at me.

My mind went into free fall as I tried to gather my thoughts. I was about to respond when the back door slammed opened and I heard her rapid heartbeat. I looked up and locked eyes with her before she asked, "What are you doing?"

I swallowed hard. "We're trying to discuss the best way to ensure your safety."

"Do you see a pattern here, Edward? You're always leaving me alone in order to deal with my safety! Maybe that's not the best thing to do." Bella stared hard at me and I realized this was it. "How long have you been out here? Did you at least wait a few minutes after I fell asleep or were you out the door as soon as I was out?"

"Bella, I think we should go inside." I moved toward her.

"Why? It's not like they can't hear what's going on anyway!" She waved towards the vampires behind me. "If we talk about here at least they won't have to pretend like they don't know what we talked about."

"I would prefer if we went inside, Bella." My voice was stronger.

"I would have preferred that my fiancé hadn't lied to me for our entire relationship, but sometimes we don't get what we want, Edward," she said coldly.

"I never lied, Bella. I just never told you all the facts." Even in my mind it sounded terrible.

"Bullshit. That's the same thing as lying, Edward. Possibly even worse!" She threw her hands up. "Did you think you'd get away with it?"

"I wanted to protect you." I walked closer to her. "Now, I'd like for you to get inside."

"I'm not a dog; you don't just command me to do something." She walked down the steps and stood in front of me. "You have got to stop treating me like I can't handle things or make decisions on my own. I won't stand for it. I deserve better than a man who thinks that he knows what's best for me instead of keeping me involved with decisions that affect my own life!"

I was trying to pull back my anger, but the more she talked, the more I felt my eyes darken and my venom flow. I wasn't having the easiest few days and to have her throw up everything in my face was not only infuriating, but slightly emasculating, especially being surrounded by allies. I was her mate, she should listen to me. The words were out of my mouth before I could think twice, "Did you ever think that I made decisions for us because you weren't in the position to decide? Bella, I'm a vampire, it's in my nature to dominate and claim. You are my mate and I will decide the best future for us."

Her mouth dropped open and several sharp breaths were taken all around me.

"Oh. I'm so sorry, Edward. You're right. As a vampire, you should make the important decisions. I mean you have all this life experience. I'm just the poor, fragile human girl that you were kind enough to fall in love with. Silly me." She smiled sweetly. "How's that plan going for you, Edward?" She pulled up her shirt sleeve to reveal the marks that James left behind. "I think it kind of sucks so far."

There was a small laugh behind me, but I didn't turn around.

She continued, "In fact, I'd say that you are failing at this whole "protect your mate" thing. I mean, what kind of vampire are you to let someone waltz into your mate's life and leave her in less than perfect condition?"

I growled loudly then flinched as I looked at the bruises again. Bella's eyes softened when she saw the pained expression on my face.

"I'm sor—"

I cut her off, "Don't say it." I shook my head. "Don't fucking say it. You have nothing to be sorry about." I took a deep breath and looked her in the eyes. "I was wrong."

She nodded. "You were."

"I'll tell you everything, Bella." I closed the distance between us and reached to touch her cheek, but dropped my hand before I felt her skin. "I never thought you'd be hurt, sweet girl. Had I known what would happen, I would have already taken you far away. I failed you."

She didn't acknowledge my comments. "Come inside and tell me the truth."

Bella walked up the steps and inside the house, I followed.

We sat on opposite ends of the couch. The distance between was almost unacceptable, but I knew I had to give her some space to process what I was about to tell her.

"Vampires don't accept humans as a choice of mate. If you find a human that you believe to be your mate you are supposed to immediately take that human, if they accept, to an overseer of sorts. That vampire is deemed old enough to properly determine the validity of the mated pair. If that vampire decided that the vampire and human are indeed mates, he grants the vampire permission to change the human immediately.

"Vampires can keep humans as sexual toys, but it is just for a short time and the vampire never sees an overseer to get permission. This happens a lot. Vampires take a human lover then toss him or her back to the human world when they are done. This, of course, stigmatizes the human and they are likely to become outcasts. Sometimes it goes the opposite way and they end up like Emmett's sister, drained during the act. The vampire who does the killing is punished. Humans aren't privy to that information, but vampires do not make high profile kills and get away with it."

Bella looked at me with wide eyes.

"I didn't tell you because I thought you'd see how difficult it was to be with me and leave me. Also, you'd have to admit, telling the woman you just met that you thought she was your mate and that we needed to get permission to change you, would be a bit much to deal with. More importantly, Bella, I wanted you to want it first."

She looked at me with watery eyes and sighed.

"I had been alone for so long and then there you were. I have never wanted to force this life on you. There was no way I was going to try and convince you that we were mates immediately. Your parents had been killed for God's sake. I wanted this life, our life, to be what you wanted. I never would have taken the choice from you.

"When you told me that you wanted this, it was a year into our relationship." Bella nodded. "By that time, I felt that we were living undetected and got the idea into my head that I would love if we were the same age."

"So, it's that simple? You've always told the truth about that?" She seemed mystified by my reasoning.

"Yes. I just wanted us to have something in common. I admit, it's not my brightest choice."

Bella let out a deep breath and laughed softly. "No, it wasn't."

"Anyway, the rest of our time together was normal. I didn't feel like we were threatened and we were progressing naturally…" I trailed off and Bella looked up at me.

"You never introduced me to vampires, why? Are you ashamed of us?" She asked quietly.

I fought the urge to move to her. "I could _never_ be ashamed of you. I didn't introduce you to vampires because I don't have friends."

"What about William?"

"He's the closest thing I had to one. Still, we're nomadic; not seeing each other for several years is quite common. Humans need to keep in constant contact because of the short time they live, vampires don't feel that compulsion."

"What about Carlisle and his wife?"

"I didn't want him to tell me I was doing this wrong." I shrugged. "He would have told me change you a long time ago and it was something I wanted to wait on. He's like a father to me, so instead of creating an argument, I just avoided it until we were ready to go to him."

Bella shook her head and muttered something unintelligible under her breath. Finally, she squared her shoulders and spoke again, "Tell me about Tanya."

I cleared my throat. "I've known Tanya close to fifty years. She's an old vampire, doesn't have any talents that would make her useful to the Volturi, but they favor her. Of course, when she started to favor me, they tried to arrange something for her. I never went along with it. I see her once a year, usually when the brothers request my presence."

"So, you've never been in a relationship with her?" Bella sounded slightly jealous and scared.

"Never. You're my only, sweet girl." Bella was quiet so I continued. "She started talking about marriage a year ago and the brothers ran with it. I need you to understand vampire society is complex. There are the brothers and the groups of vampires that live near or with them that make up this elite class of our world. They are the ones that would be completely shocked with my decision to change you. It's their reaction that would cause the brothers embarrassment.

"Outside of Volterra, not many vampires pay attention to the gossip in our world. The 'meshers' really don't keep up and the nomads could really care less. Had I not been a great tracker, they would have never noticed me."

"What's a 'mesher'?" She asked quietly.

"Umm, they are vampires that live in the human world and are somewhat accepted. Carlisle and Esme are 'meshers' because they've managed to establish a business that caters to humans and they are successful."

"Are you a 'mesher'? I mean, you have started living in the human world with me."

I couldn't help but smile at her. "Bella, I didn't want to mesh with the human world. I just wanted to mesh with you, sweet girl. My involvement in the human world only goes as far as you; the rest of it is simply what goes along with that."

She was quiet then asked, "Why did you lie about the Challenge this time?" She was busy picking at the arm of the couch.

"I didn't want to tell you while I was away from you. It terrified me to think that you were in danger and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't have you break down and not be able to comfort you. I admit that the reason is selfish."

"What are we going to do now?" She scooted across the couch and her leg was touching mine. I reveled in the feel of her warmth flooding into me.

"I think we should go to Chicago and see Carlisle. If you still want it, I would like to change you when we get there." I looked down, not wanting to see her face as she rejected me.

"I still want you, Edward. I just don't want you to lie to me anymore." She reached for my hand. "Will we be safe afterward?"

"I don't know." She looked at me with wide eyes. "I can't make you any promises, sweet girl. I will tell you that I will fight for you until they rip me apart."

I could tell that she was starting to cry and I held my arms out. "Can I hold you, Bella? I really just need to hold you again and know that we're okay."

She scooted over and climbed into my lap. I let my face press into her hair and felt her soft arms encircle my neck.

Whatever came, whatever we faced, we would do it together, with no more secrets between us.

* * *

They're back together! Secrets are out! Let me know what you think.

Thank you for reading and Happy New Years!


	13. Chapter 13

Ch. 13: Sanctuary

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read. They're amazing ladies and great friends.

Oh, and fun times ahead =)

* * *

Bella sat across my lap with her face against my neck. I let my fingers run through her hair and enjoyed the contentment I felt with her back in my arms. With each deep breath, I took more of her into me and my senses started to get fuzzy. I hadn't ever been away from Bella this long and then not made love to her as soon as we were reunited. The slow burn that started in my chest was spreading, but I didn't want to bring it up. I wanted Bella to be comfortable and initiate contact. If she went along with sex just because I wanted it, it would cause me more pain than I could say.

Those thoughts didn't bother me for too long because the back door opened and my allies walked in.

"I cannot believe she didn't throw anything at you!" Stefan broke the silence and sat down in the chair opposite us.

Bella froze and gripped my shirt tightly. I pulled her closer to me, sensing her fear.

"Don't be afraid, child. We're here to protect you." Stefan cooed and Bella turned her head slightly to peek at him from my shoulder.

Bella was silent and so was I. I didn't know how to begin introductions between these men and my mate. Honestly, there was a small side of me that wanted to growl at them and tell them to back off. They were too close to us, and I still hadn't gotten to be alone with Bella.

"You have no manners, Edward." William said as he walked in front of the couch. "Bella, it's wonderful to see you again. These two here," he pointed at Vladimir and Stefan, "are the ancients. They are so old they have no names and also, they have no…" He was cut off as Vladimir slapped his head, emitting a loud crack through the house, causing Bella to jump against me.

"That'll be enough from you," Vladimir muttered. He then stood in front us and Bella turned her whole body to face the others, sitting with her back against my chest. "I'm Vladimir. My brother Stefan is there," he pointed behind him, "and Garrett is by the door."

After several seconds, Bella stuck out her hand and took a deep breath. "I'm Bella. Thank you for doing this for us."

Vladimir smiled and slowly took her hand. He could hear the low growl I was making, even though Bella couldn't, and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm honestly curious as to how you've managed to put up with Edward here. He's a bit much."

Bella smiled and leaned back against me. "I have my ways of keeping him in line."

"Care to share?" Stefan asked and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Ummm." Bella shook her head.

"I think we should discuss the best way to get Bella to Chicago." I stared pointedly at the vampires. "Some things are private and some subjects shouldn't be broached."

"She started it," Stefan huffed.

"And Edward finished it." Garrett said as he took the other chair. "I swear being with you two is like hanging around children."

"For being so old, you'd think you'd have lost that uptight personality. For God sake, Garrett, the red coats _aren't_ coming. Lighten up." Vladimir sat down on the couch beside me and Bella.

"Poor fellows never made it across the ocean." Stefan smirked.

"What?" Bella asked, looking between Vladimir and Stefan.

Stefan waved her off. "History that should have happened, but the Volturi are too controlling to let the world take its natural course. Nothing for you to worry about, dragă Bella."

I shrugged off his little term of endearment for Bella and moved along. I was slightly upset that I'd never thought to use a foreign language to give her a special title. Dear Bella, in English wasn't nearly as mysterious as in Romanian.

"Anyway, what are we doing now?" I asked, running my fingers lightly up and down Bella's arms. I felt her melt into me and sighed.

_We're going to be okay._

"I suggest we fly. The Volturi are less likely to make a show in public with humans present. It is my belief that they are following us now. I have no idea how, since it seems impossible to elude a group of trackers, but I feel that we are being observed, even now." Vladimir stated, and I couldn't help but feel he knew more than he was letting on.

"What gives you that idea?" William asked.

"I feel that the brothers want to make this hard on Edward. I think they want to inflict as much hurt as possible, so I've come to the conclusion that they want him there to see her die." Bella gasped and I wrapped my arms around her. "I feel that we've provided enough protection to stop this from happening. If Bella can be changed before they get to her, or us, for that matter, I believe we'll be all right."

"What we need to take into consideration though, is that they will see us make a move to Chicago, assume we are heading to the only Approver in North America, and try and stop us," Stefan added casually.

"Approver?" Bella looked at Stefan.

"Someone who approves or permits the changing of a human to vampire. This process is fairly unheard of. If a human is changed now-a-days, it is usually by accident. A botched kill. There are only five Approvers in the world. Each approver has been deemed by the Volturi as trustworthy enough to make the appropriate decisions in regards to changes. Carlisle is the only Approver in North America and the brothers know that Edward is close with him, so naturally he is the vampire we will seek out.

"Our worry should be what will happen if they try and stop us from getting there. As a newborn vampire you'll be very strong and very feral. The brothers don't want to destroy you when you bear such little resemblance to the fragile human girl that Edward has mated with. They will want you human and they will want you easy to kill or torture."

"My God," Bella gasped.

Stefan sighed. "I'm sorry for being so blunt. After a couple thousand years, you lose the pretext of subtlety."

"Should Edward change me now so we won't have to deal with being caught?" Bella gripped my wrist as she spoke.

"No," I answered. "If I change you now, without permission, it will give them more of a reason to destroy you once they find us. We need to play by their rules as much as possible. We need approval."

I felt Bella take a deep breath like she was about to argue with me.

"He's right, child." Vladimir patted her leg and I didn't hide the snarl as I pulled her away from him. He just smirked. "Edward isn't the brightest vampire around, but this is something that needs to be done by the book."

"When do we leave?" Garrett asked. He still seemed a bit put off by the ancient's insults earlier.

"Later today?" William walked toward the office. "I'll look up flight information and figure out when we leave."

"We need peak travel times, William. The more humans around the better," Vladimir said and stood up.

From inside the office William laughed. "You know what 'peak travel times' are?"

Bella turned her body away from the rest of the room and wrapped her arms around my neck. She whispered, "How did you manage to get this much help?"

I slipped my hand under the back of her shirt and let my fingers trail of the smooth skin there. "I don't know. I ran straight to the airport and when William snapped me out of the panic attack I was having, there they were."

"I didn't know vampires could have panic attacks," Bella breathed against my neck.

I was finding it increasingly hard to keep my hands in their appropriate places with her words drifting on me, causing my flesh to tingle.

"Just like I didn't know vampires could sleep," Vladimir said too low for Bella to hear from the office.

I ignored him and leaned down, placing my face into Bella's hair. "You'd be surprised at what happens to vampires when their existence is threatened, sweet girl."

Bella moved her head from my shoulder and softly kissed my lips. I brought my hands to her hair and pulled her down to me as hard as I dared. She initiated the kiss, so I was going to run with it as far as I could.

I forgot about the vampires in the room next to us and the two sitting around the room, as I moved her to straddle my lap.

"I think she's going to share her secrets to keeping Edward in place, Vladimir!" Stefan said loudly, trying hard to break into the moment. He did, very well.

Bella pushed away and moved to sit on the couch, her face blushing a shade of red that I hadn't seen in a very long time.

"That's so embarrassing," she muttered and covered her face with her hands.

William and Vladimir, who had been in the office, were now front and center, and stared at us expectantly. I took Bella's hand and held it gently before looking at William and asking, "Did you find a flight?"

His eyes shot between Bella and me before sighing, "Yes. It's at 2:30 today. Since it's only eight, I think we should get packed and leave by noon."

_Plenty of time._

"Great. There's a donation facility about ten minutes from here. Why don't you four go and eat. Since you don't have anything to pack, I expect to see you back here at 11:45 and not a minute sooner." My tone left no room for debate, but I was still faced with the annoyed looks of my allies.

"So that's how it is?" William sulked towards the door. "We help and we get kicked out."

"I told you, the world has lost respect for their elders." Stefan followed behind William.

"I don't see why you would think he'd let us listen," Garrett rolled his eyes.

The door shut behind them and Vladimir stood in front of us, smiling slightly.

"You're not staying here, Vladimir." I stared at him impassively as I felt Bella's fingers trace the palm of my hand.

"I never expected to. I was going to give you time alone before we left. I just wanted to let you know that I have a feeling you won't be alone in your moment. I'm not certain, but I believe a vampire is near. While I'm out, I'll be making some calls and pulling some favors. The most you can do is ensure the room isn't viewable from the outside."

"What's stopping them from getting us now? If they want her as a human, then why watch us and not attack?"

"Aro is all about the chase. I believe that they'll wait until the last minute to make a move." He looked at Bella as she stared at him with a confused expression, then he whispered too low for her to hear, "I can't be certain of anything anymore, Edward. I'm sorry, but expect an ambush at the airport. I don't think he's doing it now because he wants you to see that he can take her from you, no matter how many people are around."

I closed my eyes and tried to fight back the overwhelming fear inside me along with the instinct to protect and claim my mate. She was _mine._ No one could take her from. I looked up a Vladimir again and he nodded toward Bella. "You're going to make my millennia, I can feel it." Then he was gone.

I waited until I heard the door shut before I pushed her back down on the couch and covered her body with mine.

"No one's taking you from me." I growled right before I captured her lips. They were so soft, so warm, and the memories of them did nothing to prepare me for the moment I tasted her.

Her hands tangled in my hair as her left leg wrapped around my hip. I moved my mouth to her neck and she groaned as I sucked the skin just below her ear.

"Tell me you're mine," I gasped against her neck as she lifted her hips to grind against me. She didn't respond in words, just pulled me tighter to her and moaned.

The sun glinted off her hair, and I looked toward the deck and the windows along the wall. I remembered Vladimir's advice, and picked Bella up off the couch. She was in the same position that she greeted me with last night, except now her tongue was tracing my neck.

_I need to get her upstairs, windows blocked completely, if what he said is true._

It was hard walking up stairs, even for a vampire, when you're beyond coherent thoughts because a beautiful woman was panting your name against your neck. Still, I somehow managed to make up to the bedroom without falling, barely. I placed her feet on the floor when I entered the room, pushing her back against the closed door.

"Don't move."

I ran and quickly closed the blinds, then the curtains, and for good measure hung the comforter on the metal rod that held the curtains up. The room was almost totally dark when I was done, and Bella didn't see me as I moved from the far wall back to the door.

She took a sharp breath when I nuzzled her neck.

"I missed you." Bella nodded and I spoke again, "All of you. Not just this, Bella." I palmed her breast and brought my mouth to hers.

I pulled my t-shirt over her head then tugged her pajama pants and panties down in one swift motion. When she was bare her hands reached for my shirt, but I pushed them away and unbuttoned it myself before shrugging it off. I left the jeans on because if I had taken them off, the temptation to take her would have been too great.

I leaned my head down and traced the curve of her breast with my nose and said, "You still haven't said it, sweet girl." My tongue circled around her nipple.

"Wh-what?" She was breathless and I smiled against her.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the bruise again, and my mind worked quickly, bringing up all the obstacles in our way and how everyone wanted to take her away from me.

_It wouldn't happen. I would NOT let them._

I pressed my body against her and pushed her harder into the door.

"Tell me you're mine, Bella." I kissed across her jaw and sucked on her ear lobe. "Tell me that I'm the only man who does this to you."

She tugged my hair. "Yes!"

"Yes, what?" I ground my cock against her hip and her head turned to the side. I very carefully moved my teeth down her neck and she called my name before gasping, "Claim me. Make me yours, forever."

I dropped my head to her shoulder, breathing rapidly. "I will. God, I will."

Bella kissed my temple and ran her fingers down my neck, "I'm yours, Edward. I belong to you."

Her voice calmed me significantly and brought me back to reality. I dropped to my knees in front of her, in worship, in supplication, and said, "I belong to you, too."

I reached up with one hand and splayed my fingers between her breasts and with my other hand I draped her right leg over my shoulder then let my fingers rest on her hip.

"You own me," I breathed before running my tongue along her wetness.

She tightened one hand on the top of my head that gripped my hair, the other came down to my hand that lay on her hip, intertwining our fingers as she gasped.

I mumbled words against her that she couldn't hear; things about love and wishes for her safety. I wanted to do nothing but protect her and love her for eternity.

"Taste so good, sweet girl." I circled my tongue around her clit then sucked it gently.

Her back was arched and she moved her hips against my mouth.

"So close. Edward, you feel so good!"

I moved my hand from her hip and slid it down to her opening. I kept my hand on her chest just to feel her heart beat against it. I longed to feel her heartbeat more than usual, it seemed. When I slid a finger inside of her and flicked her clit with my tongue, it stopped just briefly and her breath caught.

_I did that to her_.

My inner caveman started to make another appearance and I added another finger as I pumped them quickly in and out. It was a matter of thirty-seven seconds before she came on my fingers and tongue. I savored it, sucked my fingers clean, before I stood up again.

Bella wore a lazy grin and heavy lidded eyes. "You're amazing. I think you should mess up more, so you have to do that all the time."

"I think I messed up enough to do that without screwing up again, sweet girl. Besides, I love tasting you."

She palmed me through my jeans. "You know what I like?"

"What?" It sounded like I was choking.

"That leather jacket you were wearing last night." Bella stroked me once before popping the buttons on my jeans. She'd gotten fairly adept at getting them all undone quickly over the years. She pushed down my pants and boxers as I toed off my boots as quickly as possible. Her warm hand continued to work my cock as she started walking me back toward to the bed. "I couldn't figure out whether to be mad at you or jump you."

"You did jump me." I smirked.

"Oh, not like I'm going to now." My legs hit the edge of the bed and I let myself fall backward, my impressively hard erection stood up very proud.

Bella leaned over me, placed her hands on my thighs. She kissed the middle of my stomach and licked her way down.

I really, really wanted it, probably a lot more than I let myself believe, but just as Bella was about to put her mouth on the tip of cock, I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her up into a hard kiss.

"No, you promised to jump me." She was positioned right over me and I lifted my hips a little to move against her. Bella smiled shyly and licked her lips. "Ride me, sweet girl. Claim _me._" My voice was rough with lust.

Bella bit her bottom lip then slowly took me insider her.

Nothing, not the memories or the knowledge of how it felt, ever prepared me for that initial warmth that made my toes curl and my unneeded breath hitch. Every time.

My hands moved to her hips as she started moving against me. It was slow and tortuous because all I really wanted to do was pound into her as hard as I could. I gripped her body harder and tried to move her faster, but she shook her head and placed her hands on mine, squeezing softly so I loosened my grip.

"More, Bella." I whimpered as she came down against me harder.

"Shhh." She placed a hand on my jaw. "I'm right here." She leaned down and kissed my chin. "No one can take me from you." I swallowed back a sob when I understood just what she was doing. "I'm only ever yours. Just slow down, baby."

_Baby_.

I wrapped my arms around her and rolled us over; never breaking the slow rhythm she had set. I buried my face in her hair and calmed my nerves before saying, "I'm sorry this happened. I'm sorry that you're in danger."

"We're fine, Edward. Don't count us out yet." She whispered against my shoulder.

I kissed her then, slow and hard.

"I love you." I pulled almost all the way out before thrusting hard into her. "There is no meaning without you."

She didn't answer, just wrapped her legs around my waist, and started to move with me. I'm not sure how much time passed with us moving together because I was so wrapped up in the feel and taste and sound of her that it stopped mattering to me. When her muscles gripped me and she screamed my name, I sat up on my knees and grabbed the headboard to keep from hurting her, and I moved my hips quickly as I felt my body start to clench in anticipation for its release. I pushed in hard one final time and Bella arched her hips against me as I came and she continued to tremble around me.

I didn't even hear the wood snap in my hands.

Bella giggled and I opened my eyes to see her batting wood chips from her hair.

"You seriously need to stop breaking things, Edward."

I pulled out, hating the fact that I lost contact with her, and let her roll away from me before she brushed the wood chips from her hair and onto the mattress. I pushed it to the floor and dusted two pillows off before laying them at the other end of the bed, motioning Bella to lay with me. When she was next to me, I said, "We'll see how much stuff you break when you get changed, sweet girl. You won't make fun of me so much."

"Will I be very different?" She sounded so unsure of herself.

I opened my mouth to answer when I heard the front door burst open and footsteps on the stairs.

"Get dressed! Hide!" I rolled away and pulled on the jeans that were in the floor as Bella ran to the closet with my shirt.

The footsteps stopped at the door and Garrett's voice was rushed and panicked as it floated through the wood.

"Edward, we need to leave. Vladimir was right, someone's watching us. She ran, but not before she made a call. Stefan heard her. He thinks they're coming for us now."

* * *

Thanks for reading! I'm sorry for the evil cliffy, but this was a good place to end it.

See you, next Friday.


	14. Chapter 14

Ch. 14: Lost Along the Way

Disclaimer: I still don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read this. You are the wind beneath my wings. ::snort::

* * *

Panic.

It was sharp and crippling as I processed his words. I had heard Vladimir's theory that the brothers had someone watching us, but I never sensed them, never smelled them, so I just thought Vladimir was paranoid. Now, as I pulled open the closet door to stare at a wide eyed Bella, I knew that we should have left as soon as we got here. We should be in Chicago and never have given them the chance to corner us.

"We need to leave, Bella. Get your clothes on while I grab your suitcase."

She nodded and proceeded to pull some jeans on and one of my shirts and tied it to the side. Whatever clothes that were thrown on the floor got crammed into her luggage and I smiled when I noticed the photo albums were inside.

"You brought the pictures?" My voice was soft.

Bella turned around and smiled. "Of course. They're ours and I didn't want anyone to find them or take them."

She zipped up the side and I stood it up.

"You didn't remember the videos though."

Her mouth fell open and she gasped, "No."

I nodded. "They turned it on, and I nearly fainted when I heard your voice. I was upstairs and got down just in time to turn it off before I took you on the kitchen counter."

"My birthday." She smirked and rolled the suitcase over to the door.

"Your birthday." I placed my hand on her cheek and kissed her softly. "I think you should leave the pictures here, sweet girl."

Bella gave me a confused look before she asked, "Why?"

I cleared my throat, "I'm afraid that we'll run into trouble either here or in Chicago and if we have to leave your bag at some point, I don't want the pictures to fall into the hands of the Volturi. They're important to me and you and I want them somewhere safe. No one will find them here."

She laid the luggage on the floor and unzipped it before handing me the two albums. "Here. Just put them someplace. I want to come back here and get them later so make sure they're really hidden."

I nodded and turned toward the closet. I walked to the back and placed them behind some boxes on the top shelf. As I came out, I saw Bella tuck her necklace into her shirt and hold on to it. "You brought jewelry with you?"

Bella smiled. "It's just a little something special."

I did not get a chance to question her more because my name was called from downstairs. "We need to leave, Edward." William's voice was clear even though we were on the second floor and he was outside.

Bella stared at me and I saw the concern in her eyes. I walked to her, reached out for her hand and brought her body close to mine. "I'll keep you safe, Bella."

"I trust you," she whispered.

I let out a ragged breath as I took in the meaning of those words. Bella had forgiven me or at least she knew that I didn't mean anything harmful by my actions. Either way, I had her trust and that was just as precious as her love.

"I'm sorry." My voice was small and hesitant.

"I know. It wasn't the best decision, Edward, and I don't want you to do anything like that again. I need to know what's coming our way, okay? If anything else, just to take some of the weight off your shoulders. I can be that for you." She wrapped her arms around my waist. "_Let_ me be that for you."

"You are," I said pleadingly, hoping she knew that.

She nodded against me, and I turned to lead her out of the room while I grabbed her luggage. We walked down the stairs and out the front door to find a waiting William, Stefan, Vladimir, and Garrett standing beside a… _minivan?_

William grinned as he saw my shocked expression and motioned toward Bella. "I think she'll need to drive. Apparently, the ancients can't. Imagine that."

Bella snorted then slapped her hand over her mouth. I smiled at her then said, "I'll drive."

Once we were in the car with me driving, Bella riding shotgun, Stefan and Vladimir in the first row with William and Garrett in the very back, I spoke, "Well, get to talking Vladimir. How did you know someone was watching us?" As I drove, I kept watch for cars that might be following our _minivan_.

_Like you'd know anyway._

Vladimir rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'd rather get to know your mate, Edward." He caught Bella's eyes in the rearview mirror and said, "Bella, dear, I prefer your scent when it doesn't contain Edward so much. However, I do like the way Edward smells right now. You coat him." Bella blushed. "Edward, this might be the most appealing you've ever been."

The others laughed and I smirked. "It's certainly the best I've felt in days. You just remember whose scent she's surrounded by, Vladimir. Also, stop staring at the front of _my_ shirt she's wearing."

Stefan mumbled, "Possessive. We can work with that."

I remembered the first time that was said around me and realized that they were trying to get me into the mindset of defending Bella.

_I am already there._

"Could you please stop talking about my chest and our scents? For some reason, I believe that's kind of private." Bella turned around and stared at our allies then looked me. "I'm glad you smell like me again."

"You can speak of such things and we cannot?" Stefan quirked an eyebrow.

Bella shrugged. "It's _my_ scent. Totally not the same thing."

She turned to face the front again, and the vampires behind me smiled. I knew she had won them over. I glanced at Bella then and too low for her to hear, I said to her, "You're amazing."

There was silence for a few minutes before I began again, "How did you know? Don't leave anything out."

Vladimir cleared his throat. "I arrived in Volterra two days before you showed up, Edward. You do realize how close you cut it, right? That was a red flag to Aro that you even left in the first place. You only had two days at home before you flew right back, am I correct?"

I nodded and he continued, "I overheard Aro speaking with Chelsea. She informed him that the bond coming from you was almost solid and that she couldn't do anything to break it. Aro was understandably upset about this because he wanted you to be bound to Tanya at that ball before the Challenge started."

Bella clenched her fists and shook her head.

"It didn't work, obviously." He licked his lips. "This is where it gets complicated and my knowledge is slim, so I've filled in with guesswork. Aro said that he'd take care of your bond and when Chelsea asked how, Aro said, 'When you want to find something that is hidden, you find a person that can be just as invisible.' Then he walked away."

"What does that even mean?" Garrett asked.

"I've heard stories over the last hundred or so years about a vampire that does side work for the Volturi. She isn't a member of the Guard and only helps out when they really need her assistance. She's allowed to stay away from Volterra as long as she does the missions she's given. From what I understand, she's untraceable."

"That's impossible." William kicked the back of Vladimir's chair.

There was a squeak of protest from the hinges and Vladimir growled. "You _will_ pay for those damages, boy."

"Stop it, you two," I said hastily.

Vladimir cleared his throat. "Like I said, untraceable. She is sent to find those the Volturi search for, but can't find."

"Well, how do they find her when they want her, if she's untraceable?" Garrett asked.

"I'm not sure. I would assume they've worked out some form of communication between them. All I know is this myth is the first thing I thought of when Aro said that to Chelsea. Edward was impossible to find when he left Italy; so naturally, Aro got the only other person that can't be found to find him."

"That was her sitting on the roof a few houses away, right?" William sounded slightly less skeptical.

"Yes, I believe that was her."

"I only heard the ending of the conversation, Edward, but she said, 'He's with her now. He plans for a change.'" Stefan added quietly.

"They know where we're headed then?" Bella's voice didn't waiver as she spoke.

"Yes, but they won't barge in to Carlisle's home. If we make it to Chicago, Aro will concede on this part of the battle. He'll allow the change to happen, and then I believe he'll send the Guard members that we can't outrun." Stefan spoke to Bella. Garrett sighed. "It doesn't help that they are already in North America either."

"No, it doesn't," I said as my grip on the steering wheel tightened.

Bella moved her hand to my neck then proceeded to play with the short strands of hair there. "Don't count us out yet," she whispered, but never took her eyes off the road.

I made it to the 101 and headed south toward the airport as Bella continued to stroke my neck, and the vampires in the back remained quiet. There wasn't really anything to say; we knew that we needed to get to the airport, even if we were two hours earlier than we planned.

My biggest concern, apart from getting to Chicago, had become Bella's change. I thought about her question earlier, _"Will I be very different?"_

Surprisingly, Bella and I hadn't discussed her change at length. She knew the basics. It would be painful, very painful, she would end up immortal, and her first few years would involve containing and controlling her thirst. Other than that, we didn't talk about _her_ being different because it had never occurred to me to talk about it. She would still be _my Bella_ even when she was a vampire, just like she was _my Bella_ now. Still, I thought about her voice and how she seemed so unsure…

_I should have talked to her about this before._

She would be different. She would no longer be soft or warm. At least to humans she wouldn't. From my brief contact with other vampires, shaking hands or the occasional, and unwanted, hug from Tanya, I knew that to us, our skin _was _soft and warm.

She would be just like her human self, only less fragile.

"So, Bella, how did you and Edward meet?" Stefan asked, breaking the silence.

Her hand never faltered against my skin as she said, "We met on a sidewalk in Forks, and he followed me home."

"Like a puppy?" Vladimir laughed.

"Like a repressed, self-deprecating puppy," William added as they chortled behind us.

I sighed and started to speak, but Bella beat me to it, "He was lost and he found his home. It's not something you should make fun of." She turned around and looked them. "I know you're just being yourselves, but laugh about other things."

I smirked. Bella had just stood up to three vampires.

"Very well, dragă Bella," Stefan smiled kindly.

"As you wish," Vladimir grumbled before he looked out the window beside him.

Bella looked sternly at William. "I make no promises, love."

My eyes shot to the rearview mirror at that and he laughed. "Fine. No more 'love'."

I let out a breath of relief as I pulled into the rental car parking garage and grabbed Bella's luggage. William turned in the keys while I stood with my arm wrapped around Bella's waist and held her close to my side.

"We're much earlier than planned. I don't like the idea of Bella being in the airport for this amount of time." Garrett shrugged. "It might be a good idea to see about an earlier flight for you two. I know William said this was the one that could fit all of us, but perhaps, there is a flight with two seats available. If the Volturi are coming this way then you don't need to be here when they arrive."

"That's actually a decent idea, Garrett. Look at you pulling your weight around here. A true team player, a patriot, in fact." Vladimir nudged him with his elbow.

"I really don't like you." Garrett walked toward the entrance.

Vladimir laughed and followed behind him. "I'm terribly old, Garrett. My sense of humor has dwindled to degrading and offending."

Stefan nodded. "Look for another flight while I settle this." Then he patted his leg, as if calling a dog. "Come along, William."

I held Bella's hand as we made our way through the terminal to the check-in desk. To other humans at a distance, we'd look like any normal couple, to humans up close we'd look like vampire and his newest conquest. I suddenly wished that everyone could only view us from a distance because the connotations that came from that last visual made my vision cloud with red. I didn't want anyone thinking of Bella as a whore or less than what she truly was.

_Beautiful. Intelligent. Strong. Loving. Mine._

I placed our joined hands on the desk and lifted Bella's luggage on the scale. Her ring glimmered under the fluorescent light and caught the eye of the woman behind the counter. I watched closely as she looked between us then rolled her eyes, dismissing the significance of _our_ ring.

"How can I help you today?" Her tone was sweet, but it didn't mask the contempt in her eyes.

"We have a flight to Chicago this afternoon, but we were wondering if there were any seats available for an earlier flight. We have a family emergency that really needs our attention." Bella spoke calmly, ignoring the withering looks from the attendant.

"I'll be happy to check, but there might not be anything."

Her fingers were typing rapidly and Bella spoke again, "Anything you can do is helpful. We're just trying to get there as soon as we can."

The woman was quiet as she looked at the screen, and I wondered when I had lost the ability to function in every day society. It might have been the fact that Bella was in danger or that I had been around vampires for the longest amount of time in years, but I started to really _see_ how everyone looked at us. The sideways glances, or the mumbling from strangers as they took in the possessive arm I had around Bella's waist, sometimes even the whispered voices of disapproval from right behind us made me wonder if it had always been like this. Had I just ignored it? Told myself that it didn't matter?

"It looks like there are two seats open on the flight that's leaving in fifteen minutes. You can make it if you run now." She glanced at me and said, "I'm sure you don't have a problem with running, right?"

_Bitch._

I started to open my mouth, but Bella spoke, "Edward's a very fast runner. I'm sure we'll get there in time. Is there going to be a difference that needs to be made between the tickets?"

The lady stared unabashedly at Bella, probably wondering why this human woman was speaking over her vampire lover. "Yes, there's a slight change. Would you like it charged to the card on file?"

"Yes." Bella nodded, and soon our tickets were handed over.

We walked brusquely to the terminal where Vladimir stood waiting for us.

As we approached him, I spoke, "We leave in ten. You know where Carlisle lives?"

"Yes."

"Then we'll meet you there."

I pulled Bella along, but didn't feel safe until we were taxing down the runway. I smelled the air and searched, but there were no other vampires on the flight. I brought Bella's hand to my lips as the plane started to lift off. Finally, I turned to Bella and whispered, "Have I ignored the way people look at us? At you, sweet girl?"

Bella reached out and touched my jaw. "I think you tend to block out unpleasant things, Edward. You didn't pay attention to people's looks because you didn't want to feel guilty, you didn't tell me about things because you were scared. I've held my own against those people for a long time. That hatred or malice doesn't bother me anymore and it shouldn't bother you." She kissed me softly and then leaned over to where her mouth was beside my ear and spoke so low that had I not been a vampire, I wouldn't have heard her. "I love you. I chose you a long time ago. After this week, no one will stare or gripe again. I'll be like you, just like I was meant to be."

I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her to me.

"I love you." She started to speak, but I continued, "I'm sorry that I underestimated you. It seems that I block out important things, too. You are an unbelievably strong woman, sweet girl, and I am proud that you wear my ring and that you are mine, just like I am yours."

Bella leaned away and played with the clasp of chain around her neck. "Close your eyes, Edward." I obeyed instantly and felt the air shift around us as she placed my hands in her lap. "You can open them."

I looked into her eyes, and she said the words that made me wish I had tears; made me believe I had a soul.

"I love you. You're a loyal man, Edward, and I thank God every single day that you found me. I'm proud to wear your ring because it anchors me to you in a way I never knew I would want. I'm proud to be yours, and I'm even prouder that you're mine."

I felt smooth metal slide around my finger and I looked down at my left hand. There it was. Worn and almost as old as me. I blinked and stared into Bella's watery eyes.

"No matter what happens, that is yours because I wanted you to wear _my_ ring. I wanted _you_ to be mine."

Although she had said it many times over the years, nothing spoke louder than the new weight she had just placed on my left hand.

It felt like completion.

* * *

Vladimir POV

If you stare long enough at the back of someone's head, they will eventually turn around. I know this as a fact because I'd spent many years trying to prove it. As an immortal with an extremely high tolerance for boring activities, it worked well.

It was because of those years, that I knew the exact moment the little human girl was going to turn around. Her eyes were big and blue; I paused and remembered in passing a similar pair of eyes from centuries before, but quickly masked it and smiled widely at the child. She cringed and grabbed her mother's arm. In those few seconds, I moved far enough away to be missed by her family, but close enough to see the mother's reaction.

She thought her daughter was imagining things again.

I snorted and walked away.

Our lives would have been so much better without the humans knowing about our species. Now, we were demoted to spectacles instead of truly feared. We were impotent because the Volturi had loudly established that vampires weren't to feed from humans and that all life was precious.

Like most politicians though, they were hypocrites.

This game that had slowly started to unravel before me was complex and the most fun I'd had in centuries. Aro had been so callus in using the human girl against Edward and quite honestly, that was a level I would never stoop to. His complete humiliation would be worth whatever he deemed as my punishment for helping them. I rolled my eyes, like I'd really abide his rules anyway. I never had before.

I walked up to the others as they patiently waited for our flight and sighed. You would think that after living as long as I had that waiting wouldn't be a problem.

"Scaring children again, brother?"

"It passes the time," I answered.

It was almost comical at how quickly all our heads turned as we took in a new scent. Teeth were bared, we crouched down and the humans near us scampered away.

_I would have loved to have seen mommy's face then._

The vampire walked towards us, and I appreciated the view for a moment. She was tall and blonde and delicious. I also knew from her smell that she was a Guard member. I could tell because the slight scent of fresh human blood alters the trace left behind. It's very different from the scent of vampires that live on donated blood.

"Run." Garrett spoke in a panicked whisper.

"You can't be serious." I shook my head.

"Yes I am. Run! Edward needs you and let's face it, I don't really add anything to mix anyway. I just wanted to help, this is how I can. I'm giving you a head start. Now run!" He pushed me into Stefan and we stumbled back.

The woman approached slowly and said, "Boys, I think we have a bit of problem." She held her hands out, palms up, and a several shocks of electricity popped between them.

"They won't kill me. I don't know anything." Garrett said in a rush and walked toward her.

We turned and ran down the ramp of the nearest plane dock and the last thing I heard as my feet touched the pavement was Garrett's pained scream.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope you don't hate me to much after what I did to Garrett. Next chapter we're in Chicago, so that's a plus!

On a non-ARAT note, my pre-reader Jen328 is participating in the Share Your Inspiration contest.

It's anonymous, so I only know that she has one entered and I encourage you to go and read the entries and vote. There are some really great OS there! The voting opens Jan. 16!

http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2580394/

Thanks again and see you next Friday ;)


	15. Chapter 15

Ch. 15: The Right Way

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. MWAH, ladies!

* * *

BPOV

He stared down at the ring on his hand, and I tried to gauge his reaction. After everything we'd been through, everything he told me that morning, I was still nervous at how he had received my gift.

I was nervous about a lot of things.

I thought over everything he had told me and while I really didn't agree with how he had kept things from me, I _knew _Edward. I knew in his mind that was what he needed to do to protect me. However, the more I thought about it, the more I analyzed the story he'd told, I realized one important thing. Edward had never told any vampire that he lived _with_ me. This brought up a simple question that I had thought several times, but now held a new weight.

If no one knew about us, then who was putting money into a bank account that held _our_ names?

I watched his features as he paid for the tickets and I knew Edward hadn't thought about that fact yet. He had not even brought that mystery into the mess we were in. I had no way of knowing if it was tied to the Volturi, but I knew that whoever deposited that money in our account knew about us and was a potential threat.

I pushed that away because Edward looked up and smiled as our eyes met.

"This is okay, right?" It was just a whisper because I couldn't get enough courage to even speak normally.

He swallowed hard and I took in the sharp angle of his jaw and the unruly hair. I loved everything about him. Edward opened his mouth to speak then closed it again. Finally he took a deep breath and spoke, "I can feel its weight on my hand, and I have honestly never felt anything more solid in my existence. It's like this band has circled my chest and there is a pressure I've never felt before." I must have looked hurt because he recovered. "It's not a bad thing. I like it. Bella, it's like I'm in this fixed spot now. I'm yours and not by default because I put a ring on your finger or _know_ you, but you put this here because you _wanted_ it. I'm sorry, I can't really make this make sense, sweet girl. I have no words for what you've given me."

I felt my eyes tear up but pushed them away. "Edward, that's how I feel. I don't think you're supposed to be able to name it anyway." I laughed softly and he gave me a breathtaking grin as he twisted his ring. "So you like it?"

He leaned over the armrest and gently kissed my lips. "I love it."

We sat like that for a few moments, relishing in the happy moment amid the chaos that was going on in our world.

"I must admit that I'm pretty disappointed you gave it to me on a plane though."

I furrowed my brow and groaned. "It really wasn't the best proposal was it? I'm sorry. The timing was just right and…" He cut me off with a kiss.

"The timing was perfect. It was the right moment. I'm just a bit put out that we'll have to wait several hours before we can celebrate. All I want is to be tangled up with you right now, sweet girl. I want to feel this ring slide across your skin." Edward moved closer to my ear and lowered his voice. "I want to see if it feels different on different parts of your body. My mind is just going crazy with the possibilities, and I'm a vampire; we've got a lot of extra space for things."

I leaned my temple against his. "Can you tell me about it? We have time and I can't help but think it's weird we haven't discussed it more thoroughly before."

In truth, I had been a bit scared about bringing it up. I did not want him to back out if he realized just how much I would change; my most insecure thoughts revolved around him deciding he didn't want me forever. The last thought, I had not really worried about in a couple of years. The more I watched Edward watch me, the more I knew that the feelings between us were completely real for him, if not a little more deep. He had always said he had all this extra space in his mind and if he really did, he had so much more space to think about us and our life together. He would know whether or not this was what he wanted long before I could process it. Suddenly, I wanted to know when he knew that I was it for him.

Edward took my hand. "I'll answer all your questions about mental changes on the plane. I would like .privacy as we discuss your physical changes. Demonstrations, if you will."

His eyes turned just a shade brighter at the mention of "demonstrations," so I knew what that would entail. I bit my bottom lip just slightly and nodded. "Okay. I'll be your student then."

He groaned and moved back from my face. "We are in a public place, Isabella. Please keep your comments chaste." He used a tone that sounded so pompous I wondered where he picked it up from right before I laughed at it.

"Oh please, you're thinking of how to keep the crew occupied while we sneak to the bathroom." I snorted and clamped a hand over my mouth and nose.

He rolled his eyes and whispered, "That flight attended looks like she thinks I'm going to drain you. I seriously think she'd have a heart attack if we disappeared at the same time."

I looked up and sure enough, there was a middle aged flight attendant, staring at us with wide, frightened eyes.

"You make quite the impression don't you, Mr. Masen?"

He leaned closer to my neck and I watched the attendant swallow hard. I couldn't believe Edward was playing with her like this. He gently kissed my pulse point and sighed.

"Mrs. Masen, what impression do I make on you?" He sat back in his seat.

"Mrs. Masen? Am I now?" I smirked.

"To me you are. You have been for a very long time, sweet girl." He took my hand and turned it over traced shapes on my palm.

Just then my question came back to me. "When did you know? I have this feeling that you can process things so much quicker than me."

He smiled and ducked his head like I do when I blush. "Bella. You're right about my thoughts and understanding, but there's not a simple answer. I could say that I knew when you stood in front of me on the sidewalk or when you told me your name. I fell in love with the sounds of your breath and heartbeat as I stood watch outside your home before you let me in. Our first date." He sighed. "The first time we made love. When you told me that your soul was mine. When you pushed me down the stairs. On New Years, when you let me take you to the top of that huge tree, so we could be away from everyone at midnight. When I was home last week. When you said that you wanted _my_ children. Just this morning when you let me back in."

I was close to tears, but he continued on. "There's not a set moment I knew because it wasn't something to find out. It just was. It _is_."

Edward looked into my eyes and shook his head. "That doesn't make sense."

"I understand. I think I'll get it better when I'm like you though."

He just nodded. "When did you know?"

I bit my lip and closed my eyes. "One morning, you weren't really paying attention to me and we were lying in bed. You get lost in your thoughts so much." I pushed his hair back. "You were on your back and you had a hand on my chest. At first I thought you were feeling me up, but then I looked at you. Your eyes were closed, and you had small smile on your face. Then I looked at your chest. You had your hand over your heart and you were patting a slow rhythm. I didn't realize what you were doing at first, but your hand moved at a faster pace, still steady though, and you said, 'You're up.'"

Edward smiled. "I remember that day."

"You were listening to my heartbeat," I said matter-of-factly.

"I was. It changes when you wake up. I didn't realize your eyes were opened though." He shrugged.

"You amaze me," I said honestly.

He drew a shaky breath. "So you knew three months in? That we were supposed to be together."

I nodded.

"That's quite wonderful to know, sweet girl. I'm glad you told me." He kissed my hand.

"Will I remember that after you change me?" My voice was a whisper.

He looked up with sad eyes. "I don't know. Human memories are fuzzy and some are gone altogether. I don't remember much from my human life at all. I think my change was so traumatic that my mind couldn't cope and I lost things. I don't know if you'll be different because you want this life."

I thought about losing all the precious memories I had of my parents and Edward and my stomach clenched. I didn't want to lose those things.

"You have me, sweet girl. I'll tell you every moment of our relationship. I'll show you pictures and videos. I'll care for you."

"What about my mom and dad?"

Edward pushed the arm rest up and pulled me against him. "Bella, we have pictures of them and we have home videos, too. I remember every story you've ever told me about them. It's not like having your own memories, but I'll make sure you never forget them. If you want, you can write down your favorite stories and I'll keep them safe so you can read them later."

I nodded and looked out the window.

I had known what I would be giving up when it came to Edward and that didn't bother me. I wondered if it should bother me more, if I was disrespecting my parents' memory by forgetting them willingly. My mother was beautiful and full of life and spirit. She brought out this side of my dad, that had she not been around, I think would have withered. My dad was steady and dependable. He was my rock and always knew exactly what advice I needed while my mom was all about following your heart.

I imagined if he were still alive. He would probably sigh and scratch his chin like he always did when he was thinking, trying to word his response right. I knew that even though Edward was a vampire, Charlie would have sat him down and had "the talk" with him. Edward would have sat there on our couch and answered every question, desperately trying to get my father's approval.

Edward would have learned everything possible about fishing or gun cleaning. My father would have tried to make him sweat, asking him about his past experiences with women. Edward would have stumbled his way through an explanation about his virginity and my father would have laughed at him because knowing Edward he would have said something about being "pure" or "untainted by a woman's touch."

It wouldn't have been right away, but my dad would have realized what Edward and I had. He would have accepted us, too, no matter what Edward thought, as long as I stayed close and remained in his life. More than anything, my dad and mom loved me.

"Bella?" Edward's voice was soft.

"Yeah?"

"We'll be landing soon, and I wanted to talk about the approval process." He said, staring at me intently.

"Okay."

"Carlisle will need time to observe us to make sure we are being honest about our relationship. When that time period is up, he will give us his decision. He'll want to talk to you in private, I'm sure, just to make sure you know what you're doing. I'll have to sign something that says I take responsibility for your actions as your maker." I nodded, absorbing the information. "I would like to start the change immediately after your approval."

"Where are we going to go? Do we stay with Carlisle?" I asked.

"No. Carlisle has a remote cabin in northern Wisconsin, very close to the Canadian border. We'll go there."

I nodded. I couldn't stop nodding to his answers. They seemed so normal and planned, but what we were really discussing was so surreal. In probably a day, I would be in this cabin, screaming from the pain of his venom as it worked its way through me.

I shivered and Edward pulled me close. It wasn't much longer until we were getting off the plane and heading towards baggage claim. I stood and waited while Edward grabbed the luggage and we made our way to the curb, where he found us a taxi.

I moved in a daze as we got in the car, and he gave the address to the driver. Finally, Edward spoke, "Are you all right?"

I looked up at him. "Just nervous. What if they don't like me?"

He took my hand and squeezed. "They'll love you."

I had never been to Chicago before, so I wasn't exactly sure where we were, but Lake Michigan was right behind their house. It seemed silly to ask Edward about their suburb when we were about to ask his oldest friend for permission to change me.

I just stood on the top stone step that led to the door and waited patiently while Edward knocked softly on the aged wood.

His hand barely had time to reach back and take hold of mine, when the door was opened.

In the entryway stood one of the most breathtaking women I had ever seen. She was classically beautiful and I swear straight out of a jazz club. Her caramel color hair hung loosely around her shoulders, and her eyes were green with a deep brown ring around the iris. I'm sure my mouth was hanging open as I continued to stare at her.

Then she wrapped her arms around Edward and squealed softly. "It's so good to see you, Edward. You don't visit enough!" She playfully slapped his arm. She pulled away and looked down at me. "Who's your friend?"

Edward tightened his grip on my hand and smiled. "This is my fiancée, Isabella Swan."

Her hand clamped over her mouth and I think she would have been crying if she could. "I'm Esme Cullen. It's so wonderful to meet you." Esme reached out and hugged me. "Come on in! I need to hear all about this."

She seemed to glide into the house, and I followed as Edward closed the front door.

"Esme, is Carlisle here? We really need to speak to him, as well."

She didn't get a chance to answer because at that moment a blond man appeared in the doorway in front of us.

"Edward? What are you doing here? I thought the Challenge was going on." His voice was soft and lulling.

Edward stepped in front of me and said, "Bella was the target. I need to tell you something; I know you'll be so disappointed in my choices, but please listen and I hope you'll help us."

Esme and Carlisle looked between us with wide eyes and nodded. Edward still had my hand and led us into a small living room, where we sat on the couch. Esme and Carlisle sat across from us in two reading chairs.

"Please, begin."

Edward tensed and closed his eyes. I stroked his knuckles and asked, "Do I need to start this?" He shook his head and looked back at his friends.

"Bella and I have been together for just shy of five years." For once, there wasn't that typical shocked gasp whenever Edward said that. He continued, "I wanted her to choose being with me, being a vampire. She did confess to wanting the change very early in our relationship, but I expressed my wishes to put it off until she was twenty-four, so we would be the same physical age. I realize that this was a mistake now, but she was only eighteen when we met and I wanted her to be certain of her decision.

"The Volturi have found out about her and they have used her as the target in the Challenge."

"Oh, God." Esme leaned against the back of the chair.

"They gave the trackers permission to drain her when they found her. I have her so that's not a problem right now, but I do need to change her though, before the brothers find us. I want to do this as officially as possible. I need your approval to make Bella a vampire and to claim her as my mate because the Volturi won't accept that claim while she's human."

I looked to Edward then over to Carlisle and Esme. They both looked to be in deep thought and I wondered aloud, "If you help us, will it mean trouble for you with the Volturi?"

Carlisle gave me a kind smile and stood up. "I'm very sorry, Bella. I have no manners apparently. I'm Carlisle Cullen. It's a pleasure to meet you." I shook his hand, and he retreated back to his chair. "As for the brothers, I don't see why I would be in trouble. I'm just doing my job." He looked at Edward. "You were very irresponsible, Edward."

"I know. Trust me, I really know. You have no idea how scared I've been since Monday."

"I can only imagine. These things take time, though. If you want to do this by the book, I'll need to observe you both for at least two days. I'll need to speak with Bella privately, which means you'll need to leave the house along with Esme. Bella will need to talk to Esme about what to expect with changing and already being in a relationship with her mate." He looked at me. "It's very intense, Bella, and I think having Esme's advice will help you greatly.

"Then I'll need to discuss the logistics of her change with you, Edward. At the soonest, I can say a day and half, if we work through the night while Bella is sleeping. Then the day can be mine and Esme's with her." Carlisle sighed and seemed to be thinking over what he'd just said.

"That's fine," Edward spoke quietly. "I just want to protect her."

"Bella, you must be starving. Let's see about getting you some take-out?" Esme stood up and extended her hand to me. I took it and followed her out of the room. "They need to talk. This was definitely not the way we thought we'd be introduced to Edward's mate."

I didn't know what to say, so I just remained quiet as we made our way into the kitchen.

"I don't know what you like to eat, but I have a phone book, so just find a restaurant you like and order anything." I started flipping through the book to the yellow pages. "I'm not very good entertaining guests, I'm sorry."

I looked up at her and found her staring at me with a hopeful expression. I wondered why, but just decided to say something nice about her home.

"Oh, thank you." She turned to the counter. "Carlisle indulges me even though he hates decorating. He spends a lot of his free time helping at the hospital."

I looked up, shocked. "Edward said that he couldn't practice medicine."

She smirked. "Oh, Carlisle wouldn't let something like that stop him. He just hangs out and if they need an opinion he gives it. Humans know the amazing possibilities of having a vampire doctor. Carlisle will never be compensated for it, but he is a doctor still."

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. "Good for him. I think that's great."

Esme handed me the phone and I ordered a pizza. I had just hung up the phone when I felt Edward's arms wrap around me.

"I don't remember eating pizza as a human, but my city has this impressive reputation for it."

I laughed. "Is that supposed to impress me? It just makes you sound really old."

"Well, I'm pretty old, sweet girl."

I snorted and turned around, knowing that Carlisle and Esme had snuck out of the kitchen.

"What's going to happen?"

Edward kissed me then rested his forehead against my own. "After you get to sleep tonight, I'll meet with Carlisle to begin the approval process. Hopefully, by Saturday night, we'll be on our way to the cabin."

Carlisle and Esme seemed to disappear, and Edward sat with me while I ate my pizza and then we went up to the guest room on the second floor.

"Are we alone?" I asked as Edward started to open the luggage and pull out my pajamas.

"They left for awhile. Carlisle needs to get his own things in order so he can help, and he likes when Esme goes with him. I really think she'll be helpful for you. She knows all about the pressures and overwhelming feelings that come along with being changed."

"When did he change her?"

Edward stopped what he was doing and bit his lip. "1923? She was just coming out of her newborn stage when Carlisle found me."

"So the newborn stage is bad, right? Will I be able to control myself at all?"

Edward walked toward me and smiled. "I had nothing to center myself with. From what Esme said, having a mate at the beginning helps slow things down. You tend to _want_," his eyes raked over my body, "a lot."

"Who did you want?"

His eyes were shining as he spoke, "No one. I didn't want anyone until I saw you. I was just really, really thirsty."

His hand was on my shoulder and I took a deep breath.

"I don't want to be so different that you won't remember it's me. I don't want you to be unhappy with what I am after I'm changed. I don't want you to not love me because I'm not the person you fell in love with." I voiced my deepest fears to him, barely stopping for breath.

He started at me for a moment before smiling. "You will still be you. You will be different in some ways, but under it all, you will _always_ be my Bella.

"Your skin will be soft, you will be warm." He placed a kiss on my jaw. "The best part, Bella?" He took my hand and placed it under his shirt against his chest. He was cool to the touch and so hard. "_I_ will be warm. _I_ will soft."

Edward brought his lips to mine and our kisses were full of passion and longing. We both wanted this to be over, we both needed each other; we just needed to be safe.

He pulled back and sighed. "I'm sorry, but I need to talk to Carlisle. He's waiting for me." He looked upset, so I pulled him down for another quick kiss.

"I understand, Edward. The quicker we get this approval done, the faster we can be safe."

Edward nodded and watched as I dressed for bed then slipped under the covers with me. I lay surrounded by him, and for the first time in days, I felt a kind of peace and hope. As he played with my hair, he sang softly; just loud enough for me to hear. It was moments like this, when he thought I was asleep, that I realized just how lucky I was.

I would deal with this process, I would talk to Esme, and I would endure the burning that came with the change because this brave, loving man was my entire world. I snuggled against him further and heard him sigh.

I would do anything to protect him and maybe as a vampire, I'd be able to follow through on that desire.

* * *

Thanks for reading. I hope you liked the intro to Carlisle and Esme. Next chapter will be Edward answering all of Carlisle's invasive little questions….


	16. Chapter 16

Ch. 16: Uncomfortable

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. As always, you ladies are the best.

A/N at the bottom with some outtake info.

* * *

The ticking of the grandfather clock was annoying. It stood against the back wall of Carlisle's office and mocked me as I sat in an uncomfortable chair and awaited his questions. I honestly did not know how a chair could be uncomfortable for a vampire, anyway. I shouldn't even be concerned with the chair, but it took my mind off the clock and Carlisle for a moment.

I knew that the questions he would ask would be invasive. They would cover everything from financial holdings, to living arrangements, to sleeping arrangements, to sex. I really didn't want to get into detail about our intimacy, but I knew if I wanted this to go smoothly, I needed to answer as honestly as possible.

As Carlisle shifted some papers together on his desk and created a folder that would document our approval process, I listened for Bella. She was deep asleep fast asleep and I let myself pretend that I was still in bed, my body warming against hers.

My mind stayed there for several minutes, and then Carlisle cleared his throat and brought me out of my fantasy.

"Edward, we are here to begin your approval process. I need to ask you some questions. It would be prudent to inform you that your most honest answers are required to speed the process along. I am required to question your intimate relationship, but I'll save those questions until later, so that you have some time to prepare yourself for that topic of discussion. Your answers will stay confidential; I will not share your history with anyone. I am here to facilitate the change of your mate and will in no way use what I learn against you or give it to anyone who wishes to cause you or Bella harm."

I nodded.

Carlisle took a deep breath. "Now that the formality is out of the way, I want you to talk to me as a friend, Edward. Don't think I expect you to answer a certain way. Just tell me the truth."

"I'll tell you everything. I just want to get this over with, so that I can make sure Bella is safe."

Before opening a notebook, he pulled out a pen from his shirt pocket and clicked it.

"How long have you known Bella?"

I sat up and began a detailed description of the day I met Bella, the subsequent two weeks that I spent on her porch, and our first date. Carlisle wrote down things here and there, but never stopped looking at me.

"So, Bella was resistant to the idea of being with a vampire. Did you discuss this? What were her reasons, and do you think she still has hesitancies about being with you or becoming one of us?"

I cleared my throat. "Bella's parents disappeared about a year before we met." Carlisle met my eyes and nodded, understanding exactly what I meant by disappeared. "She was afraid of me because of that, but I proved myself to her. Also, one of her friends had a sister that had been lured to become a toy for a vampire and was later killed by him. Bella had every right to be leery of me, especially since both of her experiences with vampires ended so badly. Now, she is very comfortable with what I am, she helps me see the best in me and I feel that she wants this still. She wants to be with me, Carlisle."

He smiled. "I'm very glad to hear that. Esme and I have always wanted your happiness."

We were quiet for a moment before he flipped a page and asked, "Do you or Bella have a job? Are you able to provide a life for your mate? Do you plan on living as nomads or becoming _meshers_?"

I thought through my answers and knew that being honest was best and easiest so I began, "Bella has a job working in a clothing boutique, and she is very close to becoming the manager. Her salary is good and our home is paid off. We don't have any debt, and we are very cautious spenders." I closed my eyes and continued, "I can't find work, but I have been receiving a monthly deposit into our bank account for several years. I don't know who is depositing it and when I looked into it, I was told that it was anonymous. I planned on finding out, but all this happened and it didn't seem so important anymore."

Carlisle's writing stilled as he spoke, "You're right, that is curious, but I think you should focus more on Bella than the money. If someone has been giving you a gift monthly and never done anything harmful to you, then I don't see it as a threat."

I could only nod. He was right; I had other stuff to worry about.

"Your plans for after her change? Do you plan on living a nomadic lifestyle?"

I felt my lips turn up into a small smile. "No. Although she hasn't outwardly expressed interest, I believe that we will remain in Forks once her bloodlust settles. Bella loves her friends and her home. We'll stay there. It's…" I felt like such a pushover for saying this, but if anyone knew what it was like to love a mate, it was Carlisle. "It's where we fell in love. All of our firsts have been in that house. We're both too sentimental to give that up."

"I completely understand sentimental, Edward." He shifted in his chair. "Speaking of firsts, how long have you been intimate with Bella?"

My mind immediately went to the night in question. We had been dating for six months, and even though I stayed the night and lay in bed next to her, we hadn't progressed to sex. Images flooded my thoughts at his question, though.

The way her cheeks flushed, her thundering heartbeat, our deep breaths, the way her legs felt wrapped around my hips for the first time, how her body stretched around me as she took me inside her, the underlying scent of blood, the overpowering scent of us, and the warmth. _God, the warmth._

I'm surprised she even wanted to be with me again after our first time. I lasted half of a thrust before I was a shuddering, moaning mess.

I remembered that I buried my face in her neck apologizing as she stroked my hair. "It was too much." She giggled and it made her muscles clench around me. "I'm not kidding! My dick is tingling, Bella."

"Edward?" My head snapped up, and I looked at Carlisle. "How long have you been intimate?"

"There are lots of things that encompass intimacy, Carlisle."

He sighed and gave me a pointed look before saying, "Fine. We'll do this the hard way."

I didn't speak.

"First kiss."

"After our first date," I whispered knowing he'd hear me.

"First…" He palmed his forehead. "Edward. When was the first time you felt her up?"

I stood up. "Is this really necessary? There is no reason you need to know that."

"I know that! When I asked the original question, I was leaving the depth up to you! I don't want to know when the first time you saw her naked was, Edward. I really don't want to know…" He held up his notebook for effect, "when the first time you received oral sex was or performed oral sex on her. I don't want to know how many fingers she prefers or her favorite tongue technique, and I most certainly do not have any interest in discussing if you prefer her hand or mouth."

I stared at Carlisle and was taken aback by his outburst. He stared at me and was frozen in his seat.

"We've been intimate for four and a half years." I sat back down and Carlisle began writing again.

"Prior to that, how many sexual partners had either of you had?"

I picked at the chair arm. "We're each others, no one else's."

"That's a nice thought, Edward, but I need an answer." He sounded impatient again.

I swallowed and met his eyes. "We were each other's first."

His mouth hung open. "You mean to tell me that until four and half years ago, you were a virgin? What about other physical intimacies?"

"I was alone. Bella is my first everything. I am her first everything, except kiss. She was kissed by some dog when she was in the ninth grade. From what she tells me, it was terrible and very sloppy. His name is Jacob and I despise him."

I saw Carlisle smirk before writing something down.

"Did she bleed during intercourse?"

"Yes."

He shook his head. "How did you manage that?"

"It wasn't bothersome. There was the blood, but there was us, and I was far too consumed by our scents mingling to think of her blood."

He nodded.

"How do you deal with her menstrual cycle?"

I choked on air and let out a sharp laugh. "That's extremely private."

"Nothing is private while you're here. You must answer the questions." He sounded like he was reading from a manual.

"We are cautious. I feed every other day, so it won't be tempting for me."

"Does the donation center allow that because of your situation?" He continued to write.

"No. I hunt animals. I have since I began dating Bella."

"Do you crave human blood?" He looked at me intensely.

"I hunt so regularly that I'm never beyond thirsty. I don't find being around humans or Bella to be a problem. I haven't hunted in several days though so I probably should soon, especially if I'm to change Bella."

"Interesting," he murmured. "Have you tasted her?"

"Excuse me?" I felt my brow furrow.

"During her cycle, have you tasted her?"

If I had been human, I would have turned an amazing shade of red. Still, I took several small breaths and felt my eyes turn a bit darker.

_He'll know, even if I don't answer._

"Is that a yes, then?"

"That's very personal." He waited expectantly. "Yes," I spoke very low.

"How did you manage that?" He asked, writing more.

"Very carefully." I felt my fists clench. He was starting to tread a line that I wasn't comfortable with, even if he was my oldest friend.

"That's not an answer," he responded.

"That's the only one that you'll be getting." My voice was cold.

He smiled, trying to break the tension. "When's her birthday?"

I was thankful for the change of direction and felt the anxiety leave my body and I began to relax a little. "September thirteenth."

"Favorite color?"

The questions went on like this for hours, back and forth, seemingly inconsequential ones to more private matters. Never crossing the line or upsetting me again.

"How do you think you'll change her?"

"Alone and in bed." My answer was definite and quick.

He nodded and stood up. "That's all I need from you, Edward. Esme will discuss things with Bella today, and I'd like to talk to you both tonight. I would estimate that tomorrow morning you'll have the approval to change Bella. You can take her to the cabin up north. It's definitely private enough."

I walked to the door of his office, but turned before I opened it. "Thank you, Carlisle. I will never be able to thank you enough."

"We're just so happy that you've found your place." He smiled and put the folder into the cabinet behind his desk.

I took the stairs at vampire speed and stepped into our room. I would never tire of the warmth that spread over me whenever I walked into a room she was in. She had always made me feel more like a man.

I stripped down to my boxers, noticing that it was only four in the morning; she'd sleep for a few more hours. It might have seemed strange, but I loved laying beside her, listening to her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her back against my chest, and then I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

A couple of hours later, Bella started to stir and rolled over to face me. She was still for a few seconds before she rocked her hips against me, latched her lips onto my neck, and gently sucked. I couldn't stop the groan that escaped me or how my hands grabbed her hips, pulling her tightly against me.

I knew that I needed to stop this. There were two other vampires in the house, and I really didn't want Carlisle knowing any more sexual things about us. Then Bella's lips reached my mouth and we continued to grind against each other. After a few minutes she pulled back and sat up, yanking her shirt over her head. _Mine._

I was momentarily distracted from my thoughts of stopping where this was going when I saw Bella's bare breasts. I groaned and reached out, just as I heard a door shutting downstairs.

"Bella, we can't do this. They're downstairs and they will hear everything."

She wrapped an arm around her chest and I pouted at the fact she was now covered. Carlisle's voice floated up the stairs, "We're leaving, Edward. We'll… just be back in a couple of hours."

Soon there was another door slamming and I reached for Bella's arm, pulling it away from her chest.

"They're gone. Come here."

Our lips crashed together again. Bella rolled on top of my chest and started kissing down my stomach, pulling off my boxers as she moved down. When they were out of the way, she moved back up my torso and kissed me again, lining my cock up with her entrance.

"When did you take your panties off?" I breathed and gripped her hips, keeping her from sinking down.

"Oh, I'm very talented, Mr. Masen." She wriggled against me and I groaned. "Let me have this. I was really worked up last night and you left me."

I nodded, loosened my grip and sighed as I felt her sink down on me.

"Ummm," Bella moaned and ground down onto me, which caused me to thrust against her. With my hands still on her hips, I started guiding her on me.

We moved like this, Bella moving increasingly faster, for a few minutes before Bella spoke.

"Just do it already," she groaned.

I pulled up my knees, so I'd have more stability to move and started bring her down harder. My neck was tensing and Bella started to breathe harder.

"Not that."

I reached one hand up to her breast and started brushing her nipple, gently rolling it between my fingers.

"Edward, you have your hand tapping my ass, just do it."

I looked at my hand, watching it and soon realized that every few seconds I would lightly pat the skin of her hip near the top of her ass. I moaned then shook my head. "I can't. I'm not in control, I'll hurt you."

Bella leaned down and kissed me. Her chest pressed against mine and when I looked to the side of her body, I could see my hands gripping her ass as she brought herself down on me.

She licked my jaw and whispered against it, "I want it."

Before I could think, I brought my hand back and sharp slap echoed through the room; I felt her muscles clench around me as she moaned. I was panting and trying to maintain the very small amount of control I had left when Bella giggled against my neck.

I pushed her shoulders slightly and she sat up, stilling her movements.

"Why did you laugh?" My inner caveman's feelings were hurt. She was my mate. She shouldn't laugh while we were making love.

"You just smacked my ass. Should I call you _daddy_ now?" She bit her lip, trying to hold back her laugh.

The sight did nothing for my dominating side and I rolled her over, pinning her to the bed. "When you're changed, I'm going to fuck that smart mouth, sweet girl."

Her eyes went wide and she gasped. Bella's hands twined into my hair as she brought her lips to mine. "I want that." She licked my bottom lip. "What else will you do to me that you can't do now?"

I groaned and sat up on my knees, elevating her hips slightly. "God, Bella."

"Tell me."

She brought her hand to her clit and I started talking, "I want to break a bed with you. I want to break a whole fucking wall." She arched up, meeting my thrusts. "I want to take you from behind," I leaned down, tangling her hair in my hands, still pushing into her hard, "and wrap this long, soft hair around my wrist and pull your head back while I fuck you."

That caused her muscles to tremble and I knew she was close. I ground against her and she whimpered, "I want that, too."

"Tell me what you want." I moved my hands from her hair and brushed a few strands out of her face.

"Move faster," she pleaded.

"Tell me." It came out as a growl. I desperately wanted to know her secrets.

She brought her hands to my hair and pulled. "I want you to feel that. I want you feel my nails scraping down your back. I want you to feel my teeth as I drag them across your stomach and along your cock."

I groaned and whispered, "I feel everything you do to my cock, trust me."

"I want to control you. I want to be able to move you, not have you humor me and do it yourself. I want to hold you and have you hold me down without being scared."

I was pounding into her as fast and hard as I dared, and she was so close, I could feel the tremors of her upcoming release. Bella kissed me hard and I leaned down with my head on her shoulder, trying to control my breathing and my climax.

"I want to bite you here and leave a scar," she whispered against the crook of my neck and shoulder before nipping me with her teeth.

She clenched around me suddenly and painfully almost causing me to still and gasp, coming hard inside of her. My words were a groan, "I want that, too."

We lay together for several long minutes before Bella spoke. "Are those your fantasies?"

I shrugged. "I guess. I just really can't wait to be uninhibited around you. It's not that I don't love what we do now because this is better than anything in my life, but—"

"But what?"

"Bella, I want all the things that you want too. I want break things and I want to be rough, but my God, sweet girl, I want to _feel_ you. I want nothing more than the brief red lines that will come when your nails dig into my skin when you come.

"Next time I smack your ass, you won't laugh at me either. It will be hot and you'll moan my name, Bella."

I heard the front door open and Bella smiled. "I don't doubt that."

"They're home now. We need to get cleaned up and you have talk to Esme, while Carlisle and I leave the house. I'm not allowed to listen."

Bella nodded and kissed my chest before getting out of bed. "You won't be going far will you?"

"Never. Just far enough away so I don't hear."

I didn't bother showering, I _needed_ to be surrounded by our scent, but I pulled on some new clothes while Bella was in the bathroom, washing and getting ready for the day. We headed downstairs together and entered the kitchen where Esme had brought breakfast for Bella.

Esme hugged her quickly and motioned toward the food.

"Today will be lots of fun, Bella. I promise that I'll be helpful and answer all your questions."

Carlisle started walking to the back door and motioned for me to follow. I walked over to Bella and kissed her softly. "I love you."

She smiled and whispered it back as I turned to leave.

Carlisle and I spent a couple of hours walking around the perimeter of his property, throwing rocks into the lake. He asked me more questions and I answered.

Soon the sun was high in the sky, and I was silently wondering when I'd get to see Bella again. My thoughts were interrupted when I caught their smell. Carlisle growled lowly and I spoke, "They're helping me. I'm sorry. I was so sidetracked." I hadn't even realized that they were so late, with Carlisle's questions and Bella; I had pushed them into a back corner of my mind.

I took in their appearance and noticed Garrett's absence.

"We were found by a Guard member about thirty minutes after your plane departed." Stefan stood directly in front of me. "Be glad that you were gone, Edward."

I nodded. "Where's Garrett?"

William clapped my shoulder and shook his head. "He gave us a head start."

"It was the one that can shoot electricity from her hands," Vladimir added in disgust. "She's probably torturing him, but they'll give up eventually, he knows nothing really. Well, at least not more than they know."

Carlisle extended his hand. "This is a pleasant surprise, Vladimir, Stefan." They shook hands. Carlisle turned to William. "I've never met you before, but if you are helping Edward then you are my friend."

"Well, are you any closer to turning your mate?" William asked me, shaking Carlisle's hand.

"Very. Tomorrow morning, we'll leave here and head north. If you could keep a watch out today while we finish up the process, I would really be in your debt."

Vladimir laughed. "If we were counting debts, Edward, you would owe us several years of servitude by now."

"Does that mean you'll do it?"

Stefan looked at me and smiled. "Edward we'll watch from out here and we will follow you north and keep watch around the cabin." I opened my mouth to protest. "Not too close, Edward. We would never intrude on your very private moment with Bella.

"Thank you." I tried to put as much sincerity behind my words as possible.

"I know that I come off as crude and unfeeling, but this time is precious. Cherish it," Vladimir said before he turned to walk along the shore.

The others walked after him and Carlisle directed me toward the house. When we got close enough, I could hear laughter coming from the inside and Bella's voice, "He can be a baby when he wants to be! Seriously, you must have seen his pout over the years!"

"Never! This Edward that you talk about, I don't know him. Little things are there, unchanging characteristics like loyalty and courage, but the smiling, sexual, romantic man you've described? We've never been introduced. I'm so glad he found you, Bella. I always felt such guilt that he was alone and unhappy."

"It's not your fault, Esme."

Carlisle opened the back door and Esme and Bella turned towards us. Bella smiled wickedly and cut her eyes at Esme. "Edward?" She called softly.

"Yes?"

"You know what's worse than baby pictures?"

My forehead scrunched up and I tilted my head to the side. "What?"

"Esme was kind enough to show me some great pictures."

There was a sinking feeling in my stomach and I gulped. "She did?"

"You rocked bell bottoms and the fringe on that vest? Hot!" She started running and giggled as I took off after her, leaving a stunned Carlisle and Esme in our wake.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. There were some questions and fun to lighten our trip so far. They need a bit of down time before it gets really intense again.

Two important notices:

I'm donating a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information as to when you can begin donating: http:/foxyfics(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

Also, there will be an outtake donated to FGB Autism. I'm a bit on the fence as to what it will feature, but I can tell you it will be E/B. You can read here for info: http:/www(dot)thefandomgivesback(dot)blogspot(dot)com/


	17. Chapter 17

Ch. 17: Taking Walks

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. They help me stay on track and make sense!

* * *

I laid with Bella in the bedroom after our little chase, smiling and kissing her. When I pulled away, she looked up at me and sighed, her teeth finding her bottom lip.

"What is it?" I asked, letting my fingers run through her hair.

Bella shrugged. "It's just a little odd seeing you like that. There's so much about your life before me that I don't know."

"I had no life before you."

"That's not true. I saw the pictures!" She tried to laugh but it came out as forced. "What did you do?"

It was my turn to sigh and shrug. "I traveled. I've been to every country you can think of and seen nearly everything imaginable."

"You've told me that. I know you've seen things, but what did you feel? Who were you friends? Did you wonder if you would find me?" She looked up at me searchingly.

I remained quiet and thought about my past. While it was true that I had been all over the world, I didn't think I really appreciated it. There was always a tinge of resentment that I was what I was, that I was alone, that I was bound to walk the earth and never be complete.

I tried to find the right words to tell her this, but I think they fell short. Like all my other words, they didn't encapsulate the feeling because it wasn't something that could be described.

"I didn't really hope, Bella. I mean, I was me. I thought about having a mate, but I honestly didn't feel that compulsion to _be_ with someone. I had acquaintances and passing by friendships, but I never felt the urge to put down roots. It's like I was waiting or searching or moving through time just to be with you. There was no purpose in my wanderings. It was just easier to keep moving instead of being with Carlisle and Esme.

"They have so much love, sweet girl. I wanted that, and I thought I was defective because I couldn't make myself feel that way for anyone. I resented them."

Her eyes were soft as she touched my cheek. I knew Carlisle and Esme could hear, but I wasn't confessing this to them, I was telling this to my mate.

"I shouldn't have, but I did. They were wonderful and so supportive of me when I was a newborn. I didn't have no maker to guide me, so Carlisle taught me everything I needed to know and Esme had always been so helpful. I didn't want to appear ungrateful, so I simply left. I would reappear when I thought I had had enough time to cope with my own shortcomings, but they would always resurface, so I'd leave again."

Bella lips brushed mine. "How do you feel now?"

"I want them to know how happy I am."

"Why did you wait so long to tell them?" Bella pulled back a little so I could see her eyes. She looked hurt.

"Because of who Carlisle is. I wanted to change you on our terms, not on anyone else's. He would have been supportive and so excited, but he also would have insisted on your change. I didn't want that. I wanted it to be our decision of when and where."

The hurtful look in her eyes passed and she smiled. "I wish you'd have told me that. I've been wondering if you were ashamed of me."

It was my turn to be confused. "Why would I ever be ashamed of you? You're my mate and an amazing woman. I could never be—"

She cut me off. "I never knew any of your friends. I heard of Carlisle and Esme, but you never asked if I wanted to meet them, you also never told me Carlisle's position of Approver. I didn't know any reason why I shouldn't think you were ashamed of having a human mate."

"I'm sorry. I never thought of it that way."

"You try and figure things out on your own so much." I nodded. It was sadly true. "Tell me what's going on and I'm sure we can figure it out together, okay?"

"Okay," I whispered against her lips. Just as I was about to take her bottom lip between mine, there was a knock on our door.

We pulled back and Carlisle's voice sounded from the hall. "I need to speak with Bella now. You can show her to my study, Edward."

He was gone as quickly as he came, and I finally claimed Bella's lips in a passionate kiss. We were breathless when we separated and Bella cocked her head a little and asked, "I never asked before but why do you breathe so hard when we kiss or make love? You don't need it, right?"

I felt my brow furrow and thought of my reasons for it, surprised that I hadn't ever said anything. "You breathe out and I catch it, some of it. It's like you're in me, a little piece of your life finds its way into my lungs and I'm alive for a bit." She blushed. "Figuratively, of course."

"I like that. Will you still do it after?"

"Sweet girl, I will never stop breathing you in. Trust me; you'll have a new appreciation for my scent when you're changed." I leaned closer and whispered, "You'll know exactly what you do to me and the exact moment it happens." I nodded down to tented jeans. "You'll also know exactly what _we_ smell like."

I couldn't help but smile at how her breathing picked up and her face flushed lightly. I also couldn't deny the sweet scent that had started to permeate the air around us.

"You need to go," she said, smiling as she pushed my shoulders. "I can't go and talk to Carlisle like this." She waved her hands in front of her.

"You look fine," I said softly.

Bella quirked an eyebrow at me and whispered, "You know exactly what I mean, Edward."

I'm pretty sure my eyes grew darker and a devious smile formed on my lips. "When you're changed, you'll know exactly why I call you 'sweet girl', Bella."

Her mouth hung open and she stared at me.

"What do you smell like?" She asked, licking her lips, forgetting all about where she was supposed to be.

I walked to the door and turned as I held the doorknob. My eyes raked over her body and I smirked.

"Right now? You."

I was half way down the stairs when Bella whispered, "Good."

She was going to make a possessive vampire, and I didn't mind that one bit.

As I reached the bottom floor, Carlisle met me and said, "You need to leave with Esme. Take a walk or something. I'll go get Bella."

"That's probably a really good idea." I nodded and walked out the back door, adjusting myself quickly and willing my erection to disappear.

"Did you know that most elephants weigh less than the tongue of a blue whale?"

I snapped my head to the right and saw Esme sitting on the edge of the deck, looking out at the lake.

"No, I didn't."

She looked at me and smiled. "Random fact. Oh! Humans swallow at least twelve bugs a year as they sleep." Esme bit her lip and sighed. "That one's gross."

I grimaced and groaned. "Don't tell me anything else like that, all right? I don't need your newest hobby tampering with what's left of my sanity."

She hopped off the ledge and onto the dirt before looking at me and saying, "I have to spend my free time doing something. I happen to enjoy fun facts right now."

"That wasn't a fun fact, Esme." I gave her a pointed look.

"You're right. That one was should be filed under gross facts."

I started to walk toward her, but stopped when I heard Carlisle speak from inside. "So Bella, what made you trust Edward."

Bella laughed and I could imagine her smile. "You sure go straight for the big questions, don't you?"

"You're much more cooperative than Edward. I can tell already," Carlisle answered.

"Edward's just protective." She took a deep breath. "It was his eyes. Every day I'd look in the mirror and saw my eyes and they were lost and confused and so tired. His eyes were like mine. That's why I trusted him, Carlisle."

I swallowed hard and Esme pulled on my arm. "You're not supposed to hear this, Edward."

I nodded and followed her away from the house and the answers I wished I could hear.

We had walked far enough away so we couldn't hear when Esme stopped and sat down. I took a seat beside her and spoke, "How are things?"

She rolled her eyes. "Normal?" Esme shrugged. "We work and play. I think I'm getting tired of Chicago though; the same uppity people and the same generic look. They all want to be like everyone else, but they want me to do it differently to set them apart. It's frustrating and ridiculous. I feel like I'm dealing with children, then I realize I'm losing my patience because I'm a hundred and fourteen and I know what needs to be done and they won't do it.

"They think I'm some sort of servant and I can tell you Edward that I'm no one's servant." She paused then continued, "Except Carlisle's but only for certain things."

I wrinkled my nose. "You could have left out that last part."

She waved her hand. "Nonsense. I had to leave my house this morning because you were doing some playing of your own." She hummed slightly and said, "We're so young, Edward. We will always want to play."

"I know. I just don't want to talk about it so openly. It's private."

Esme gave me a close-lipped smile. "It is private. You just have no idea how happy I am that you've found someone, Edward. I've spent so many years hoping and wishing, hell sometimes even praying, for you find someone. You didn't choose this life and I just had to believe that there was a girl for you somewhere."

I patted her shoulder. Esme had always been so emotional when it came to me and being alone. She had spent several years setting me up with female vampires. I either never went on those set-ups or they never amounted to anything more than a pretend coffee date where we made awkward small talk on the patio of a fancy café. The truth was I loved Esme. She was so kind, but had a fiery side, too. She and Carlisle was the closest thing to family I had.

"You sound like my mother." I shook my head at her sentimental words.

"Please. I'm much too young to be anyone's mother, Edward. I'll settle for being your big sister."

"You're not that much older than me."

"Still, it's enough to be older than you. Poor Carlisle is ancient compared to us. He's practically robbing the cradle when it comes to me." She fanned herself. "I've been led astray."

I couldn't stop the laugh that bubbled up and Esme followed suit.

"I said the same thing to Bella last week. Except it was her that was tempting me."

Esme shook her head. "I think that's how we view our mates, you know? They gave us new meaning and brought us back to life in a way. I think they look at us like that, too, though."

"That's confusing," I said simply.

"Not really. I just think that we have all these feelings inside that we think are so big and indescribable, but if we talked to our mates about them then they tell us they feel the same things. Our emotions are completely in sync with theirs."

We were quiet as I thought over her comments. Finally, I broke the silence. "Did you have a good talk with Bella?"

"Girl talk, Eddie. Since you don't have the required parts, you're not allowed to know." She looked at me with a knowing smile.

"What do you think Carlisle's asking her?"

"Probably the same things he asked you. She's very smart." Esme turned to me and took my hand. "I like her so much. Do you think she'd want to be friends with me after her change?" She looked away then back to me. "There aren't a lot of female vampires that really like me, Edward. I'm loud and still have too much rebellion in me. I know this is a lot to ask of you, considering everything I've…" She swallowed. "I'd really like to be friends with Bella."

I smiled and squeezed her hand. "I think you'd make a great friend for Bella, but that's not my decision, Esme. Still, I know she likes you and I think she'd love to have your company and knowledge. You could be for her what Carlisle is to me, a mentor of sorts."

She smiled ruefully. "That's your job. A maker's job is to take care of their creation. I just want a friend and gossip partner."

"Then you and Carlisle can be our adoptive parents or something." I stood up, dragging her along with me, then patted her shoulder and walked toward the house.

"Carlisle can be the dad. I'm too young for that."

"If you're my big sister, does that mean you doing your dad?"

She groaned. "Uh, no. Carlisle's not the dad then. Why can't we just be friends? That clears everything up."

"I bet you were a hellion as a human." I said as we made our way down the beach back to the house. We'd been gone long enough now for them to be finished talking.

"I fell in love with a vampire and embarrassed my father when I told him I was running away with said vampire. _Hellion_ is not the appropriate term, Edward. I was a _harlot_ or my favorite, _jezebel_."

"I never knew that." I stopped and turned toward her. "How where you changed?"

She gave me a sad smile. "I'm very lucky that Carlisle got to me when he did." Esme walked past me. "My father would have preferred me dead than what I wanted to become. I think it's funny that he actually put the wheels in motion for my change."

"What did he do?" I asked, appalled.

Esme shrugged. "What any God-fearing father should do. He put a knife through my heart."

"How are you here?" Disbelief coloring my voice.

She smiled. "Carlisle made sure my heart never stopped beating, plus my father had terrible aim. Carlisle says it was at least two inches off the mark."

"What happened to your father?"

We started walking again and Esme sighed. "He died years later. All mention of me was scrapped from the family records. I did have a niece track me down in the eighties, so they know I'm around, but they aren't my family."

The house came into view again and Esme spoke, "Maybe we're family? We don't have to be called normal things like _mom _or_ dad_, but maybe we've created our own little version of family."

Bella's laughter tinkled from inside and I stopped.

"I've never been happier than I am now. Everything in my life has led to this point, Esme. Just like how you were changed was meant to happen the way it did." I looked at her. "We're so lucky that someone put us on this path."

She nodded. "We're very lucky."

Several minutes later, I was situated on a loveseat, right beside Bella, with Carlisle sitting across from me and Esme somewhere downstairs.

"Do you share meals?" I cocked my head to the side at Carlisle's question, but Bella laughed then answered, "I make sure to write his name on all the deer."

"No, then?"

"No, Carlisle. I don't hunt with Bella. Are you insane? Is that even a real question?" I was being short, but it really was a stupid question. He rolled his eyes at me.

"He's trying to help us, Edward. Be nice." Bella glared at me.

"I apologize, Carlisle. Please, continue."

"You're such a smartass." Bella shook her head.

Carlisle watched us intently and moved to the next question. "What are your sleeping arrangements?"

Bella scooted closer to me and I spoke. "We share a bed. I have nothing to do when Bella sleeps, so I lay with her."

"He pretends." Bella leaned against my arm. I could feel her warmth and I relaxed into the cushions.

"Do you find that the human side of Bella is the main appeal of her? Are you afraid you'll lose feelings for her when she no longer sleeps?" Carlisle's words contained no malice, but still stung.

Bella shifted uncomfortably and I knew it was her biggest fear that this would happen. I smiled at Carlisle and looked down at Bella. "I'll miss things, but it won't change the way I feel for her. If I'm being honest, I believe that my feelings will grow because we'll be the same. We can always cuddle in a bed when we need to be close to each other."

My thoughts went to cuddling, but I managed to answer Carlisle's questions when needed and played with Bella's hair. I really just wanted to get away and escape to our room. I needed to tell her about Garrett. She would be upset if she found out from someone other than me, so I made plans to tell her as soon as we were let go.

Finally after what seemed like days, but really amounted to three hours, Carlisle smiled and said, "That's it. I have everything I need and I'll give my decision in the morning. Edward, you'll need to be ready to sign the contract."

I nodded knowing that he meant we'd be approved. I was relieved and scared all at the same time. I led us out of his study and we went upstairs quietly and when I closed the door, Bella let out a long breath.

"That's so exhausting and it's just answering some questions."

"It is. It's very intrusive. I didn't like it." I hugged her to me. "I need to tell you something."

"What?" She mumbled against my chest.

"The ancients and William arrived this morning." Bella stilled. "Garrett has been captured and probably tortured by the Volturi. He gave the others time to get away by staying and fighting. Although, I'm not sure how much he actually got to fight."

"Will he die?" She asked softly.

"The ancients don't think they'll kill him, so I will believe their opinions."

"I will, too."

I caught the scent of human food enter the house and kissed Bella's hair. I didn't want to let her go, but she had human needs still. I took one last deep breath and sighed.

"Food's here."

Her stomach growled as if on command and she let go of me, moving for the door. "Thank God," she said as she walked down the stairs. "I'm starving."

I stood and watched her walk away, thinking that this could be her last dinner. The idea struck me as odd that this was her last human night and then I was over taken by the fact that I hadn't commemorated this at all.

I took the steps quickly and got to the kitchen the same time Bella did and noticed the lasagna on the counter. She liked Italian food, but surely I could give her something she craved.

"It looks wonderful, Esme! I didn't realize you could cook!"

Esme smiled. "I've been practicing. I like to have hobbies."

"Do you cook a lot?" Bella sat down at the island and Esme served her a plate of food.

"Not really. Sometimes we have clients over and I need to have food out, but other than that, no." Esme sat across from Bella and Carlisle took the stool next to Esme.

I walked further into the room and spoke, "Bella, is there anything else you'd like? I can get you anything."

She shook her head. "This is really good, Edward."

"No, I mean. Something special to have before…" I trailed off.

A flash of recognition crossed Bella's eyes and she set down her fork. "Are you trying to ask me what I want for my last meal?"

I grimaced. "Don't say it like that."

She paused and licked her lips. "I want cheesecake. White chocolate raspberry swirl cheesecake."

I moved beside her and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Then I'll find you some cheesecake."

I honestly didn't contemplate how hard finding a dessert would be in Chicago, but it was. I wanted Bella to have the best cheesecake she had ever tasted so I spent at least twenty minutes looking up reviews before I called and ordered one.

The woman that answered huffed saying, "It's the last one we have. If you want you better show up in ten minutes or I'll sell it."

She definitely wasn't happy when I walked in and she realized what I was.

"You can't even eat it, why do you want it?" She asked loudly.

"It's for my fiancée. She wants it, so I'm here to get it for her."

The woman rolled her eyes, not taking me seriously, and asked for my money. I was one sweet smelling dessert richer as I left the store and a little bitter that the lady was so rude.

It didn't really matter when I got back to Carlisle's though. Bella was there, happy and smiling, waiting for me. She ate her cheesecake and talked with Esme and I sat back and watched.

Tomorrow night, we'd be in Wisconsin at the cabin. Tomorrow night, I would change her, tasting her blood for the first and only time.

Suddenly, the problems going on around us and dealing with us seemed so small.

Bella was going to be like me.

* * *

So next chapter we're on our way to the cabin. Since the next few chapters are going to be really exciting, I'm offering teasers for those of you who review.

I want to say congrats to my Yoda, Jen328! Her entry "Six" won first place for Readers' Choice and tied for Judge's Choice in the Share Your Inspiration contest. You can go here and read it!

http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/6699285/1/Six

Thanks again and see you Tuesday ;) That's right, I said Tuesday. 2/8/11


	18. Chapter 18

Ch. 18: Remember Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me! I love them :)

* * *

Once again I was sitting in Carlisle's study, ignoring the ticking clock. This time however, Bella was sitting in the chair next to me, her hand secure in mine.

She looked over at me and smiled as Carlisle wrote something down in our folder. He had been writing for a few minutes, not his own thoughts, but filling out forms that I would need to sign. I was basically going to be claiming responsibility for Bella and her training in becoming a functioning vampire in society. It would fall on me if she ran off or killed people. Essentially, I was vouching for Bella, and her punishment would be my own if she messed up.

I sighed and gently squeezed her hand. "I love you," I mouthed the words. She nodded and looked back to Carlisle.

He cleared his throat as he turned the folder toward me and slid it across the desk. "Edward Masen, by signing this contract, you are claiming responsibility for Isabella Swan and agreeing to teach her everything she should know about this life. You are giving your word that you will be with her every step of the way as a mentor and teacher, and you are declaring that she is your mate and will be treated as such."

He handed me a pen and finished his speech, "What you sign today will be what you are expected to live by from now on. You cannot go back, and you cannot give your position as her maker to someone else. You sign this and you will tie yourself to Isabella for eternity."

Smiling at the word _eternity_, I whispered, "Forever."

Only Carlisle heard and he smiled too. "I'm so very happy for you," he said too low for Bella to hear.

I signed my name across the bottom line on the agreement and felt Bella kiss my other hand.

I pushed the papers back to Carlisle; he turned to the next page and addressed Bella. She let out a deep breath and gave him her full attention.

"Isabella, Edward has signed and accepted the terms of this change. I must remind you that by becoming a vampire, you will be giving up natural human experiences. You will never have children, you will never age, and you will never die. You need to understand that you will see friends and family age and fade away while you remain the same, if you chose this way of life."

"I understand," she said with confidence.

"I must also caution that this union with Edward is a never-ending one. Once you are changed, you will be his responsibility until you can manage on your own. After that, you may leave him, but you must always maintain some form of relationship."

She nodded and he handed her a pen. "You will be giving your newborn years to Edward, and you recognize that any mistake you make will affect him. You will be promising to do all you can to keep him safe while he teaches you the ways of our world."

Bella signed her name without hesitation.

Then Carlisle took the papers back, turning them to the final page. He fidgeted uncomfortably before speaking again. "This last page is for both of you to sign. Since you are both unwavering in the fact that you are mates, this will probably not be necessary, but if at some point either of you wishes to cut ties with the other, or if you come to the conclusion that you are _ not_ mates, then I can dissolve this part of the process. Edward will still be your maker, but we will need to amend the fact that you're mates.

"Edward is a vampire already, so the change in status will not come from him. However, Bella, if at any time you realize that your feelings for him are not as great as they should be or you find someone else that fills the role of mate more accurately than Edward does, you will need to come back to me and we will need to make corrections."

I tensed and thought for just a split-second what it would be like if Bella told me she didn't want me anymore.

_I don't think I could survive that. _

Carlisle turned the folder again and presented the page to us.

"I don't think this will be necessary, Carlisle." Bella smiled as she signed. "I do plan on seeing you a lot more in the future though, so don't just go and assume I'm kicking him to the curb when we arrive."

I let out a shuddering breath and swallowed hard. That was my Bella, making jokes instead of doubting herself. She knew what we were, and even if Carlisle had made me cringe with thoughts of her leaving me, Bella just laughed them away.

"I don't imagine it will be needed either, but we do allow for an out. Forever is a long time and sometimes being someone's mate doesn't transfer over. I've known it to happen once or twice before, so this is just a precaution." He was being polite, but still maintained his Approver persona, and I knew he wouldn't break from his role until everything was taken care of.

I used the same pen as Bella had to sign my name next to hers, and then Carlisle took the folder back and signed down at the bottom of the last page. After he closed the folder, he looked back up at us and smiled.

"It's with a very excited heart that I can tell you that you have been approved to change Isabella Swan. You may do so as soon as you see fit."

Bella got up and hugged me tightly, and I kissed her neck. We held each other for a several seconds then pulled back. I kept my arms around her as Bella sat down on my lap.

"So when are you planning on leaving, Edward?" Carlisle asked.

I kissed Bella's cheek and glanced back to Carlisle. "I want to leave within the next hour. I'll pack while Bella eats breakfast; I believe I can get us there by five if we leave by nine. I…" I tightened my arms around Bella. "I'm hoping to start Bella's change tonight."

I felt her familiar smile against my neck make my skin tingle. This was right. Bella and I were always going to be right.

"I think that will be a great idea, Edward. You need to act quickly to keep the Volturi away. I'm so glad I could help you. And Bella, it was an absolute pleasure to meet you."

"You too, Carlisle. I hope that we'll stay longer next time."

I picked Bella up, not quite ready to let her go just yet, and walked to the door. She rolled her eyes as I shifted her to reach for the handle.

"Humor me, sweet girl. In a few days, you'll be carrying me around." I gave her a half smile, and she slapped my shoulder lightly.

"I'll never carry you around. I'd be too tempted to throw you off something." She giggled as I opened the door.

"We'll say goodbye before we leave," I said softly; Carlisle nodded.

Once I had Bella in the kitchen, eating some toast and eggs, I went back upstairs and repacked our bags. We hadn't taken anything out really, but I just wanted to double check and make sure everything was in its place.

As I exited the room, Esme whispered my name and motioned for me to follow her down the hall and into her study. It was covered in sketches and color swatches, and one wall had a "Fact of the Day" daily calendar on it. In fact, there were several of those along the left wall. I shrugged and followed her to the back corner, where she lifted a small box from the shelf and bit her lip.

"I wanted you to have this." I opened the box and found a brilliantly made brown leather journal. It was soft and worn. The pages were blank and artfully crafted to appear old. "You have quite a trip ahead of you, and I thought Bella might like this to write down some her favorite human memories. You know if you think about them enough they stick after the change, but I thought this might be helpful in remembering the ones that might fade in the fires."

I gingerly touched the clasp and looked at Esme. "This is perfect. I've been meaning to do this for her, but my mind's been so lost lately. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. I didn't really have many things I wanted to remember from my human life so Carlisle helped me; I know you never had this opportunity."

I placed the lid on the box. "I didn't. I do have memories though. Some good, some sad, some lonely, but I remember enough. I think Bella has a lot more good ones to remember though, so she'll love this." I turn for the door and asked, "Would you like to give it to her?"

"I'll go down with you, but that's your job, Edward. Keep her memories safe and make beautiful new ones."

"I will."

She patted my cheek and grinned. "I don't doubt that."

A few minutes later, we were with Bella as she finished the last piece of cheesecake. She moaned and sighed, which made me completely uncomfortable and also, very jealous of the dessert.

"Ummm, Bella?"

"Humm?" She licked her fork and I swallowed hard and cleared my throat.

"Esme got you something."

Bella perked up and looked at Esme standing across from her. "It's nothing extravagant, Bella. I just thought it would be nice, and I know that Edward hasn't really been in the position to shop for such a thing lately."

I passed the box to Bella and she opened it, gasping when she saw the contents.

"It's for…"

"My past." She finished for me and got up, hugging Esme. "Thank you so much. This means the world to me."

"You should write on the way to the cabin. Get as much down as possible." Esme spoke quietly.

"Definitely."

"I packed a couple of pens in case you ran out of ink. I wouldn't want anything to stop Edward from getting to that cabin in his set time frame." She hugged Bella again. "Come back and see us soon."

After we said our goodbyes, I loaded up the car that Vladimir had rented for us the previous day. His demeanor seemed a little off, and he was more sullen when he summoned me from Bella's bed early that morning. He leaned in the doorway before I got out of bed and for a moment, I caught him staring at Bella in an almost longing way. I shook it off though and followed him out into the hall. Then he turned to me and said softly so she wouldn't be disturbed, "She's a treasure. Without her, you will wither." He then tossed me the keys and walked down the stairs, a few minutes later I heard his footfalls on the sand.

"How many hours?" Bella's voice brought me back to the present, and I looked at her as she buckled her seatbelt.

"Maybe seven. Plenty of time for you to write." I let my fingers drift along the curve of her cheek.

I got us on the road as Bella sat in the passenger seat, scribbling out her earliest memories until the present. She hadn't spoken for at least three hours and I hated to interrupt her, but I also desperately needed some attention.

"What are you writing about now?"

She peeked up at me shyly and said, "My first crush."

I blanched and felt my eyebrows furrow. "Why do you want to remember that?" Did she hold some kind of torch for this boy?

"My dad got really flustered when I told him I liked this boy in my fifth grade class. He turned this really bright shade of red and stuttered about how I didn't need to think about boys like that. Later that night, I remember hearing him tell my mom and she laughed at him, saying that he was in for a world of trouble when I actually started dating. My dad said, 'Well, she can't date then. I'll chase them off.'" Bella got quiet and said, "I wish you could have met him."

"What are you going to write next?" I took her hand and kissed her palm.

"I believe I'll write about my first junior high dance." She smiled.

I tried not to grimace. "I don't like all these memories of other suitors."

"Suitors?" She bit her lip as she laughed.

"Yes." My voice had a bit of an edge that made her laugh harder.

"Edward?"

"Bella." I didn't look at her even though I could.

"I just spent the last day and a half being asked intrusive questions about my relationship with you. For the last five years we've shared a home and a bed, you're my first everything, and I'm about to become a vampire for you. There were no other _suitors_."

I wanted to make a comment about her first kiss, but kept it to myself. I didn't want her to write it down in her memory book. She began writing in her journal again and I smirked, my eyes still on the road.

She was right of course, but that possessiveness was still there, under the surface. She'd understand later, but right now, I was just the stupid vampire who was jealous. I would pay to see the day when Bella would kiss me or touch me in front of a random stranger because they were flirting with me.

It didn't happen often, but there were girls that went after male vampires just for sex. My mind went in the direction of how Bella would stake her claim on me and for once, I was really hoping to get that attention one day. It sounded completely petty, but I wanted her to feel that surge of jealousy, that urge to claim.

I shook my head. _I am such a guy._

We drove for another hour before stopping for lunch. It wasn't anything special, just a small diner along the highway. Bella brought her journal with her and during her meal, she talked and I wrote for her. This way she got a bit more time; I could write as fast as she could talk, so we seemed to get more written down.

I stopped her as she was getting back in the car and hugged her close.

"We still have a few hours. Write, and when we get to the cabin, I'd really like to spend some time together before…"

She kissed my jaw.

"Are you scared?"

"Yes." There, at a roadside diner in the middle of Wisconsin, I confessed my biggest fears. "I'm afraid that I'll hurt you. I'm afraid that when you wake up you won't feel the way you do now. I'm afraid they'll take you from me." I buried my face in her hair. "I'm terrified that I'll have to face an eternity without you."

"I'm scared, too," she whispered. "I think we'll make it, though. We'll have forever.

"I want that," I said just as quietly. I fisted the back of her shirt and let the final confession slip from my lips. "Do I deserve it? I just feel like this is all going to be taken from me and it will be like I never had you."

Bella tilted her head and looked up at me. "You deserve happiness, an eternity of it. Never doubt that." Her voice was full of conviction, and the look in her eyes made me believe it. "We need to go."

I nodded, silently opened her door, and then shut it once she was secured in her seat.

The rest of the way to the cabin passed quickly. Bella was focused on her journal as she wrote about her high school years and beyond.

I stole peeks and caught a word here or there, but never anything for me to associate with myself, so I knew that this was before I entered her life. Then, about two hours from our destination, she looked over at me and blushed lightly.

I had arrived.

"Do you remember our first time?" Bella asked, never looking up.

"Of course." I answered with no elaboration.

"It was perfect." I saw her lip turn up as she wrote.

"It was quick." I replied.

She looked up at me and smiled. "It was perfect."

"Why don't you ask me about our second time, which happened right after I recovered from the first time? If we're discussing my performance, that time was much better." I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel anxiously.

"I love your eyes. Sometimes when we get passionate, they black out and that's sexy as hell, but our first time they were so full of love and reverence. They were green with a darkening green around the edges." She wrote something else down and licked her bottom lip. "When they're green, it's like you're too consumed with the feelings involved to give over to your vampire side. I like knowing that the love wins out. It's what makes me trust you so implicitly."

I was speechless. I'd never noticed my eyes. Bella always talked about them and how she could read my moods, and even my thoughts from them. She never went into detail like she just did, but she'd brought up their color often over the course of our relationship.

"I'm glad you told me that." I stilled her hand, and she turned toward me. "Kiss me."

Bella leaned over and placed a lingering kiss on my lips, making them tingle long after she pulled away and resumed her journal writing.

Finally, we turned onto the long drive that led to Carlisle and Esme's cabin. It was beautiful and simple. Carlisle had it built shortly before turning Esme so they would have someplace to go during her newborn years.

The two story structure was made of rich, dark wood and had a wrap-around porch. I knew Bella would love the upstairs bedroom because it had a beautiful view of the small pond and forest from the bay windows. There was also a fireplace that I planned on setting up as soon as we were in the house. It was cooler here, and I really wanted to see how the light played on her skin.

"This is amazing." Bella gaped at the cabin as she closed her journal.

"Did you finish?"

"Almost. I need about an hour? I'm only in our third year."

I nodded. I would cook and she could write.

After I put our bag up in the master bedroom and started a fire in the fireplace there, I came back downstairs to find Bella scribbling in her journal. I didn't speak, just started dinner, and as I placed the first plate on the island in front of her, she sighed and closed the book.

"I'm done." She looked up at me and smiled.

"Do you think you got everything?" I asked as I poured her a glass of wine. I silently wondered if my allies had put the ingredients for dinner in the house before we arrived. I could smell them and knew they'd been inside, but couldn't tell about the food. Either way, I had so much to thank them for.

"I do." Bella reached for my hand. "I don't want this to be awkward, Edward. I want it to be natural and I'm afraid that since we have to do it now it won't be like it should have been. I don't want to go upstairs and just let you bite me. Please tell me that's not what's going to happen. I know it's going to hurt and I don't want to expect it. Not like it's been scheduled like that."

I moved quickly around the island and pulled her into my lap. "I swear that it will be special and beautiful. I don't want it to be so clinical either. We'll go upstairs whenever you're ready, but I won't be biting you right away." I leaned my forehead against her temple. "Sweet girl, I need to hold you first, make love to you before. I want that closeness. Is that all right?"

Bella nodded and took a deep breath. "Let's take a bath together. I want to relax first. Talk."

I smiled against her hair and breathed in her scent. "Eat first and then a bath." I heard movement from outside and noticed my allies on the porch. "I'm going to talk with them, but I'll be right back and I won't leave the deck, okay?"

"That's fine." She picked up her fork and began to eat as I opened the sliding glass door.

"Thank you for checking the house out before we got here," I said as soon as the door closed.

"We want this to go as smoothly as possible." Stefan spoke softly.

"We've checked the woods for miles and there is no scent of another vampire. We'll patrol at a distance as to not hear what's going on inside of the house. If we catch a scent, we'll call you." William flashed his new cell phone. "What's your number?"

I gave it to him and he typed in the numbers, he didn't need to save the number to remember the sequence.

"We'll leave you now." Vladimir was still withdrawn and quiet. "Good luck."

I watched as they disappeared into the woods before going back inside to Bella.

"Is everything all right?" she asked, pushing her plate to the side.

"They're just letting me know that things are safe. Are you finished already, sweet girl?" Her food wasn't halfway gone yet.

"I don't really have an appetite. I'm very nervous." She flushed slightly, and I reached out and took her hand, pulling slightly so that she'd stand up.

"Let's go have a bath."

Bella nodded and followed me up the stairs, into the huge master bathroom. I filled the tub and found some bubbles tucked away in a cabinet. When the tub was full, I helped Bella undress, not because she needed the help, but because this would be the last time I'd do this before I changed her. Her hands tugged on my clothes too and as much as this was natural for us, the evening had taken a tense turn.

We were nervous and, for only the second time in my existence, my hands shook.

The water moved as we settled into the tub together. I wrapped my arms around Bella and pulled her back flush with my chest.

"I knew I was in love with you the moment I saw you."

The only thing I wanted her to know, the thing that would make tonight easier on us, would be the story that I had never told her. I had always glanced over that initial meeting and the following two weeks because the depth of my feelings during that time was already so powerful that I hadn't wanted to scare her off.

As I hugged her close, soaking in the hot, bubbly water, I kissed her shoulder and I told her about how she changed me, how she made me count time, and how she made me believe in myself and my soul.

I told her the story of how she brought me to life.

* * *

Thanks for reading. I know this seems like filler, but I really wanted to show that Bella had a life before Edward, and how supportive he is in taking the time to help her remember it and him better.

I'm offering teasers for reviews again. Ch. 19 will be up Friday and it's the big one.

I want to say thank you to the lovely sscana! She wrote a really amazing review for ARAT on the Indie Fic Pimp blog. I was pretty much stunned when I read it. Thank you, bb!


	19. Chapter 19

Ch. 19: Burn

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. They eased my mind a lot with this chapter and the next. I hope you like them.

* * *

Anticipation.

It was nearly suffocating me. I passed the time as normally as possible and hoped Bella wouldn't see through my efforts. It was my job to make her comfortable before I caused her devastating pain.

I could tell Bella was stalling. When the water started to cool, she would drain some out and then fill it back up with hot. We traded stories. I told her about my initial, life-altering meeting with her, and she told me about the moment she knew she wanted to be like me.

I told her, in as much detail as I could muster, how I felt about our first kiss and other first experiences. She told me the same experiences with just as much detail. Her hands never stopped their subtle touches to my arms as she spoke. I felt her love around me, and I really hoped she could feel the same from me.

As the minutes wore on, and on her third time draining the water, Bella turned to me. "I think I'm ready to get out now."

I nodded and stood, helping her out of the tub, grabbing the fluffy, white towel off the rack, and giving it to Bella.

"I'm going to make sure the fire is still going in the bedroom." I turned for the door, but Bella reached and grabbed my arm. I spun back around, and she threw her arms around my neck and brought her lips to mine in a fierce kiss.

"It's just us," she whispered.

The simple sentence broke through the final awkwardness of the night, and I pulled her against me. Bella turned her head, and I released her lips then kissed down her jaw and along the column of her neck.

The taste of her skin lingered on my lips as I moved away from her and took her hand.

"I think we should probably take this to the bedroom, sweet girl."

"I thought you wanted to make sure the fire was still burning?" Her eyes were bright, and she ran her tongue lightly over her bottom lip.

"It is." I let my fingers skim up her arm. "I can feel it."

Bella smirked. "Why do I think we're not talking about the same fire?"

"Because we're not."

I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom, where the fire was, in fact, burning strong.

Placing her on the edge of the bed, I leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Lay back."

From that moment everything was a blur. My mind focused on her body, her heartbeat. I listened to it as I brought her to climax with my tongue; hearing the subtle changes, feeling her skin flush and breathing speed and stop at the peak. I paid close attention to the feel of her skin under my hands as I picked her up and moved her to the center of the bed. Then the soft skin on the back of her knee as it rested on my shoulder.

Her eyes, so bright and passionate.

Her voice, full of longing and pleasure.

The warmth of being inside her.

The tightness of her muscles gripping me as she came.

My face was buried in the curve of her neck as she trembled during her orgasm and I rode out mine.

"Edward." Her voice ghosted over my ear, and I shivered.

I lay on top of her, keeping my weight barely there, breathing in at her neck. She stroked her fingers through my hair and tried to steady her own pants.

"I love you." Bella kissed my temple.

My throat started to burn with all the venom I was swallowing and I couldn't help but think of what it was going to feel like for her. _Fire and pain._ I pushed that thought away, knowing that no amount of thinking would take away the burn.

I didn't respond to her declaration, just dragged my lips along her collarbone then back. I placed small kisses down the middle of her chest all the way to below her belly button, taking in the softness, the texture, the sweetness.

I let my tongue peek out as I moved across her hip bone and her breathing hitched. I took slow, deep breaths as I moved to her left side. Placing a soft kiss on her hip, I moved down her leg, resting her knee on my shoulder. Kissing, sucking lightly on the skin of her inner thigh.

She hadn't spoken, but her heart rate and breathing were like they were when she was aroused. I knew she wouldn't be expecting it then; she didn't want to know when it was coming.

"I love you," I said loud enough for her to hear. "I'm sorry." Just for me.

With that expressed, I let my teeth slice through her skin.

Her blood hit me in a rush. It was sweet, thick and so much better than I would have imagined. I took in mouthfuls and let it soothe the burn in my throat and ignite something possessive in me. She was mine and she was giving herself to me, willingly. She was going to endure this for me.

Bella arched up off the bed and gasped my name, causing me to glance out of the corner of my eye at her. Her face was scrunched up, and she was gripping the sheets. I stopped drinking then, and pushed as much venom into her body as I could before I pulled back and licked the bite closed.

I ran my hand along my mark reverently then sat up on my knees.

"I'm so sorry."

I let myself hover over her again, much like when we started making love earlier. I let my head fall to her shoulder as I held myself up with my elbows. Her legs, which would normally lock around me, were twitching slightly outside of mine, and her hands still clung to the sheets.

I didn't say anything and I didn't wait. I turned my mouth to the juncture of her neck and shoulder and bit down.

"No," she whimpered, and her hands went to my hair.

I let her blood fill my mouth again, and I swallowed it down before pushing more venom into her system.

As I let the venom flow from my mouth, I realized something was different. Bella's hands in my hair didn't feel like they usually did, they didn't caress or pull me closer.

Bella tugged on my hair as hard as she could and tried to push me away.

I closed the bite and leaned back, brushing the hair away from her face.

"Bella?" My voice was barely a whisper.

Her eyes were on me, wide and slightly unfocused. Her body was bowing off the bed, and the muscles in her throat contracted as she swallowed convulsively.

I moved to sit beside her, still keeping eye contact. Bella gasped, and there was a look of complete concentration on her face when I asked, "Are you okay? Did I do it right?"

She let out two broken breaths before closing her eyes tightly and screaming.

I panicked.

"Bella?" My hands ghosted over her body; they were shaking again. "Oh, God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I repeated that phrase over and over as I stared down at her. My mind was racing, trying to figure out what I could do for her.

I tried to cover her up, but she would kick the blankets away. I tried to ask what I could do, but she never spoke words, just let out the most gut-wrenching screams I'd ever heard.

When I had tried everything I could think of, I ran to the bathroom and got a cool cloth to try and comfort her that way. I knew that the change made you feel like you were burning alive and I remembered wishing I had water or anything cold. It didn't help though. The material against her skin seemed to agitate her more.

Occasionally, Bella would calm enough so that her screams and yells became whimpers and groans.

Right before dawn, I pulled up a chair beside her bed. I refused to shower as I didn't want to lose our combined scent that covered my skin.

When the sun started to rise, I closed all the blinds on the windows and made it as dark as possible and I let the fire die.

I knew exactly how much time had passed and how much time was left in her change. The toughest aspect of it all was that I couldn't do anything to help here. I was helpless and I cried for her. She was in so much pain and it wasn't halfway over.

I leaned my head against the bed, and our scent swirled around me. I calmed slightly.

My hand reached for hers and barely brushed the skin.

It was more like mine.

I glanced at the clock. _Halfway there._

Looking closer, I realized that the tears that had leaked from the corners of her eyes had dried.

I leaned back in the chair then let my body slump down as I stared at her writhing form.

This was normal, I assumed. She would change and the human traits would disappear. Her tears were gone, her skin harder and smoother; she was still my Bella, though.

I let my hand drift out and softly touched her cheek, Bella whimpered, and I traced her jaw.

Everything seemed so real now. She was in the middle of the change, and I had her blood running through my veins. I licked my lips and savored the taste of her that seemed to be embedded in them. I really hoped her taste stayed around for awhile.

Her blood was intoxicating. It caused reactions in me that were not appropriate when killing the woman you loved, and her taste on my lips was making that reaction occur. I shifted in the chair and sighed.

Once she woke up, I knew the feelings of disorientation she would have. I knew how scared and traumatic it was. Bella wouldn't want to make love with me. She'd be skittish and very thirsty.

I removed my hand from her skin and wrung my hands together.

_She might not remember me. _

The burning caused so much agony for me that when I had come to, I didn't even remember my name for the first few hours. After I had calmed, bits and pieces came back, but not everything. I remembered my parents, knew my name and a bit about my history over those last few years. I couldn't remember my childhood, or favorite color, or any other mundane thing that a person always knows about himself.

Bella arched again and screamed louder than before.

I had a favorite color now, though. It was blush pink. I smiled wistfully and pulled up an image in my mind; Bella's pretty pink cheeks.

_She wouldn't do that anymore._

I wanted to reach out and touch her, but I knew that she wouldn't want that right now. I closed my eyes and tried to remind myself that this is what we wanted, that she wouldn't hate me for putting her through this pain.

Her breathing was coming in short pants, and I looked up at the clock again.

She had about twenty hours left, if all went as it normally did. I hoped that it would end sooner.

I let my mind drift back to my change and recalled the brief moment of terror as my neck was wrenched to the side and teeth sank into my neck.

I never saw my maker, I never heard him leave, and I thought that I was dying. I knew being attacked was always a possibility, but vampires were adjusting and trying to limit consumption during my human time. They weren't to kill productive members of society, and they had scientists and doctors working on the donation facilities.

My maker had left me in the woods.

I woke up and ran. I loved the speed. It was the first thing that made me somewhat happy, but also showed me what I'd become.

_As if I had any doubt before. _

I wandered for days within the same general area, thirst consuming me, but I never ventured toward the city. I could smell the people lightly, but I just ran the other way. I didn't want to kill someone I knew.

Then Carlisle found me.

He approached with such caution and spoke softly, telling me he'd help me.

I was brought to this same cabin to spend my time as a newborn. Carlisle was the one who'd introduced me to animals as a way to get my bloodlust under control, and then he started bringing me the donated blood that had finally been perfected enough for consumption.

After several months, I was ready for the city.

During this time, I became close with both Carlisle and Esme. I found out what mates were, and I hurt because I didn't have one to share things with. I slowly made myself believe that I never would find her because I didn't even _want_ to search.

I smiled.

She wasn't around for me to find yet.

Bella moved around on the bed and whimpered. This time I lay down beside her and shushed her, trying my best to keep my voice even as I spoke.

"Shh… shh… shh. I know it hurts. I'm so sorry." I pushed hair out of her face. "I've been waiting my whole life for you. We'll be together forever. I'll never let anyone hurt you and I'll always be faithful to you. We'll go to places that you've only ever dreamed about. I'll make a good life for us. I swear."

I cleared my throat and scooted a bit closer to her. I wasn't touching her, but I noticed that her body temperature had decreased.

"I wonder how much you'll remember. I want you to remember me so badly, sweet girl. I want you to remember our time together. How much you mean to me, all the little things that we did together, all the special occasions we've shared. I don't want to see that blank look in your eyes that I've seen in other newborns. I want you to look at me like you always do."

I stopped talking and just watched her again.

Her skin was much paler than it had been and her muscles were leaner.

_She'll be so much stronger._

I closed my eyes, knowing that she wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. Her beautiful heartbeat was too strong and insistent. When it got close to the end, it would beat faster than I'd ever heard before and then it would abruptly stop.

I lay unmoving for hours before I started humming to her, knowing she liked when I sang or even just hummed a melody quietly, softly, gently as I worked.

The song was soft and melancholy. The words didn't quite fit with us or our situation, but the mood was captured. The future was unknown for me and Bella, just like the future was unknown for the man in the song.

There was one thing we both knew though, that man and I, that we'd never get closer to Heaven than when we were with our loves.

As I got to the part of the song that I could sing to Bella, I whispered the words as I sang.

_It's just a drop in the ocean  
A change in the weather  
I was praying that you and me might end up together  
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert  
But I'm holding you closer than most,  
Cause you are my,_

_Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore no, no  
Heaven doesn't seem far away  
Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore no, no  
Heaven doesn't seem far away_

Bella sucked in a quick breath and whimpered again.

I suddenly realized how long I'd been laying there beside her. I listened as her heartbeat sped up and her breaths as they were catching.

"It's almost over, sweet girl." I took her hand in mine. "I'm right here, Bella. I'm right here."

Suddenly, the pounding stopped.

The beacon of my existence, the one thing in this world that grounded me, ceased.

Then Bella opened her eyes.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I really hope you liked it. Reviews will get you a teaser for Tuesday's update :)

Also, the song used this chapter is "A Drop in the Ocean" by Ron Pope.


	20. Chapter 20

Ch. 20: Never Seen You Before

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. They keep me going.

* * *

I tried.

I tried so hard to keep it in. I didn't want Edward to know how badly I was hurting or how much pain was emanating from my leg and neck. I didn't want him to panic.

His eyes were wide and frightened, and he had a small smear of my blood on his bottom lip. My breaths escaped me in gasps, from an inner agony I couldn't let him see.

Then I closed my eyes and didn't open them again. I couldn't stand to see the pain in his face or watch him scrambling to help me. There was nothing he could do.

As soon as he vanished from my sight, my body released the scream that had been bubbling up since his teeth cut through my thigh.

I knew there was no way I would survive this. I was going to die.

It could have been hours or days; I wasn't sure. All I knew was that the pain that surrounded me made time meaningless.

The fire never stopped really, some moments it would get easier to endure, other times it was unbearable. It would burn through my veins, scorching me from the inside out, punishing me for some crime that I didn't remember committing.

Despite the pain I felt, I found myself pulling up faces in my mind, but not really knowing their names, who they were, or how I knew them. It was the first time I was truly frightened about what was happening. I didn't remember places, or where I was from, or any other details about myself.

Through it all though, a voice was always near me, but the words were unintelligible.

I found myself thinking so hard; trying to remember why, what and how this happened, but I couldn't. It was like my mind had been erased, burned through by the searing heat that worked through my system.

The things I did see came to me in flashes.

Red hair and a mischievous smile.

Soft kisses and tangled legs.

Then those stopped and there was nothing definite. No…_understanding. _The acid that was coursing through my body was making my thought processes fail. It hurt to think.

So I stopped.

Flames were dancing around me, and in my thoughts I could see a fireplace made of stones that seemed familiar, but I let it filter through my brain and exit.

After a while, there was humming, and it was soothing. I let it calm me, or attempt to, as my heartbeat became irregular and wrong. Finally, it just clenched. It seized up and my chest hurt, but it wasn't like the fire. I couldn't even get breath into my lungs and my heart felt like it exploded.

Then it was quiet.

No more pain or anguish.

No more humming.

That's when I opened my eyes and looked up at the wooden beams that crossed the ceiling. They were fascinating. The wood grains moved and seemed to work around each other in a pattern that was really fun to follow.

I sighed, drawing in a

breath. That's when I smelled him.

I jerked my head to the side and was greeted with the most stunning sight I could remember seeing. Granted, my mind was still empty. He was beautiful, and his hair was almost as fun to look at as the wood grain in the beams above my head.

Red, orange, blonde, brown, sandy brown, mahogany…

"Bella?" He reached out a hand then pulled it back just as quickly.

I smiled and took in his form. His chest was sculpted and well muscled. I drew in another breath as my eyes followed the trail of hair under his belly button down. "You're naked."

He cocked his head to the side and stumbled over his words "I know. I shouldn't be. I mean, I should have dressed, but I forgot."

I just stared and moved my eyes over his face and stared at his eyes. They were green with little golden flecks around the iris. I'd never seen anything like them before…or at least I thought I hadn't.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked softly.

I turned my attention from his eyes to the rest of him. He looked strong, but he didn't seem to be violent. If I stared hard enough, he had a deep purple aura around him with little flecks of silver. I reached out to touch it, but my hand went right through it.

"Huh." I pouted slightly, wondering why I couldn't touch the pretty purple haze. The silver parts of it were lovely. I reached again and still my hand went through it.

"Bella?"

I started and shook my head. "Is that me? I'm Bella?" I thought it would be nice to know my name; maybe he knew me.

A look akin to devastation crossed his face and he closed his eyes tightly. When he spoke, his voice was gruff. "Yes. You're Bella."

I nodded and looked around the room, breathing in deeply, smelling him again.

"You smell very nice," I whispered, hoping to dull the look of pain on his face.

My eyes landed on the fireplace, and I pointed at it. "I saw this! I was hurting badly." I turned to him and asked, "Did you save me?"

He swallowed and shook his head.

I scooted out from under the covers and gasped. "I'm naked." I pulled the sheet around me. "What did you do to me?" I asked and backed away.

He stood up and walked slowly toward me. "I will _never_ hurt you."

The wording was so familiar to me, and my mind flashed to a memory, hazy at first, but as it progressed it cleared.

A sidewalk. A vampire.

_I hopped in my truck and drove home. I was opening up my front door when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned quickly and pressed my back against the door._

_"What are you doing here?" I whispered._

_He smiled and shook his head slightly. "I don't know. Trying to change your mind?"_

_He stepped towards me and I flinched. "Don't. Please, just don't hurt me."_

_He let out a strangled sound and moved too quickly for me to see. When I saw him again, he was down the steps and several feet from the house. _

_He cleared his throat. "My name's Edward Masen. I know that you realize what I am and that you are hesitant because of it, but I swear, I will _never_ hurt you. I just want to be around you." His voice was full of sincerity._

_I believed him, too. His eyes were pleading for something, anything, and I knew that Edward was lost. Taking in what I knew from earlier, I knew that he was a drifter and alone, searching for something to ground him. Maybe we could ground each other. I gave him a tentative smile and tossed him a line. _

_"I'm Bella Swan." _

_His returning smile was heartbreakingly beautiful, and I knew I'd made the right decision. I opened the door and as I stepped inside I heard him say, "Bella. That's perfect."_

"You're a vampire." My breathing started to pick up, and I looked down at the parts of my body that were exposed. "I'm a vampire."

"You are," he said softly.

"You did this to me!" I shouted and back further away.

"I did, sweet girl, but you wanted this, too."

I closed my eyes as I remembered the pain of the transformation, and another memory hit me full force.

_My eyes teared up, but he wasn't looking at me. He stared at the couch cushion, brooding._

_ "I choose you," I said in a strained voice. "I choose you, Edward. Those things mean nothing to me without you. You can't be selfish if I want it, too."_

_He finally looked at me. His eyes were full of hope and wariness. "What are you saying?" He leaned against me, placing his head on my shoulder. I ran my fingers through his hair and he shivered. "Does that mean that you want…?" He didn't finish his sentence, just got very quiet._

_I pulled back and said, "Look at me, Edward." He hesitantly met my gaze. "Would it be destroying my soul if I gave it to you? I mean, it's yours already." _

I swallowed and my throat burned terribly. My hand went to it automatically, trying to rub the ache away.

"Are you thirsty? I can take you hunting."

I didn't answer, just tried to calm myself. I caught his scent again, and it made me feel safe. It brought rounds of memories and experiences, all surrounding this beautiful man, who was staring at me like I was his only hope in the world.

I slid down the wall, overwhelmed, as I spotted the simple diamond solitaire on my left hand. I choked out a sob as I remembered his proposal, his smile and his corny jokes.

I looked up and he looked so lost. He was steadily moving forward then back the same two steps; his hands would reach out then he'd pull them back. On his left hand sat a worn band. I smiled as my mind gave the memory of that moment back to me.

I was still so confused, but _I needed him._ I knew that he would ease my pain, he'd help me understand and he would comfort me.

I reached my hand out and stared hard again, the same purple and silver haze that surrounded him outlined me too. I didn't know what it meant, but, for some reason, it was reassuring. I blinked and it was gone.

"Edward." I breathed.

He was across the room, and I was in his arms before I could take another breath.

"I'm here, sweet girl." He was rocking us, his face hidden in my hair. We stayed like that for a long time before he asked, "Do you know me?"

I turned in his arms and smiled. "I remember you. It's coming back to me." He sighed and I let my fingers run through his hair. "When I first woke up, it was so blank and then it's like little pieces came to me and then bigger ones followed. I'm so sorry that I didn't remember."

Edward tried to smile as he said, "I was terrified that it was all gone."

"It's still not all there." I looked down. "I remember a lot, but it feels like I'm missing things." It really did, too. I'd see images in my mind; a place or the face of someone that I _knew_, but nothing behind it. _It was frustrating. _

"I'll help you." He spoke with conviction.

I moved and kissed his jaw. "I remember you telling me that. I remember the journal. I remember the Challenge." He tensed. "I remember you lied to me, and I remember you telling me the truth." I felt my desire start to build and I shifted, taking note of how my skin tingled as it moved against his. "I remember how you made it up to me, too."

Edward's breathing stopped and he looked into my eyes. "We need to hunt."

I felt his hardness against my stomach and purposefully pressed into it. "I can wait."

He smiled and kissed me quickly. "Not right now. You need to hunt."

Edward stood and placed me on my feet.

"You're really gorgeous," I said, sighing. "Always so pretty."

His fingers traced my jaw and I leaned into his touch.

"Bella, you were stunning before and you are stunning now. I'm finding it very hard to walk away from this right now."

I reached down and took him in my hand. "I'm finding it very hard, too, Mr. Masen." I smirked as he let me continue to stroke him. I placed a couple of small kisses on his chest, but the spell was broken when he backed up.

"Get dressed." He turned and walked to the dresser, throwing some clothes my way before dressing himself.

I grabbed the sweatpants he threw for me and angrily pulled them up my legs. A loud rip brought his attention back to me, and I looked down at the torn pants.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

He smiled softly, grabbed another pair, and walked them over to me. Edward finished ripping the destroyed pants off my legs and gingerly helped me into the new ones. As his hand brushed up my left thigh, he stopped and ran his hands over a crescent shaped mark.

_I was still coming down from my climax. Everything about our love making felt electrified and more than it ever had been. _

_Maybe it was because this would probably be the last time we had sex while I was human, maybe it was because things were starting to look up for us and we had a eternity ahead of us. I kissed his temple and said, "I love you."_

_Edward shivered slightly then started to kiss down my body. He had always so loved; I let him go and just enjoyed the feel of his cool lips as they made their way down my chest to my stomach and hips. _

_I rested on the pillows, readied myself for the feel of his tongue hitting my overheated flesh. He moved my leg to his shoulder and started to kiss down it, tracing over the skin with this tongue. _

_"I love you," he said quietly. I felt his breath hit my thigh as if he spoke something I couldn't hear then I felt the searing pain as his teeth cut through my skin._

"It takes some getting used to," he spoke kindly. "You'll break a lot of stuff at first." Edward helped me get the shirt over my head next and kissed me sweetly once he was finished. "There you go."

"Thank you." I said, somewhat embarrassed about the clothes and that I hadn't really been paying much attention to his words.

His hand lifted my chin so I was forced to look him in the eyes. "Hey, don't feel bad. I'm your mate and your maker, sweet girl. I'm here to help you, always."

"Why did you bite me there first?" I touched my pants where they lay over his mark.

He shook his head and placed his hand on top of mine. "I wanted the first place that I tasted you to be private. This is between us and that mark is _ours_. I would have had to bite your neck anyway to help the process, but that's more a public mark." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"I like it," I whispered. I walked to the mirror over the dresser to look at my neck. When I saw my reflection, I gasped. "I look different."

Edward stood behind me. "Not really."

"My hair looks darker, fuller." I touched the strands around my shoulders.

"A little." He agreed and took my hand.

"I'm really pale." I smiled.

"Yes." He kissed my cheek. "Still beautiful though. Your muscles are more toned, but you're still you. Nothing major has changed. Your bone structure is still yours. You're still my Bella."

I stared at vampire Bella in the mirror and blinked. "My eyes are weird."

Edward laughed softly. "No, they aren't. They just change slightly during your transformation."

"It's a lighter brown, kind of reddish brown around my iris." I leaned closer to the mirror, thinking I could see better, but my eyesight was better than perfect now, so it didn't really help.

"Cinnamon." Edward leaned his nose into my hair. "I wondered what they would become. My best guess was caramel, but the reddish hint makes them cinnamon."

"Do you like them?" Really I meant, 'Do you like me?', but I was too afraid to ask that. Edward seemed to notice though.

"You have no idea, sweet girl." I felt him breathe in deeply. "I've been waiting for this day for years and now you're here and you're mine. I love them, I love you."

I turned in his arms and kissed him, my hands tangling in his hair as I pulled him too me. Normally his mouth was cool, but I was just realizing that we were the same temperature. We were warm.

"We are warm, Bella. We're the same," he whispered against my lips.

"I said that out loud?" I looked into his eyes, admiring the gold in them.

"If I had been human, I wouldn't have heard you." He smiled and kissed me once more before taking my hand and leading me to the door. I followed right behind him, anxious to see where we were going.

I moved my hand to push some hair out of my eyes and caught sight of a red hair on my hand, then a blonde one. I stopped abruptly, and Edward turned to see what was wrong.

"Did I pull your hair out?" I asked, shocked and really guilty.

Edward took my hand and wiped the hairs away. "You're strong. You'll control it after a little while. You didn't hurt me though."

"I'm so sorry." I took my hands and wrung them together.

"It's all right. I didn't bring it up because I knew you'd be upset. I'm fine, Bella." He placed a quick kiss on my lips. "You can't hurt me."

I nodded and Edward pulled me into a hug.

"Right now, I'm using more force to hug you than I've ever done before," he whispered. "Does it feel like I'm hurting you?"

"No."

"We can take a lot of pressure, sweet girl. You'll learn." He stepped back. "I'll be more than happy to demonstrate just how much more your body can take, but you really need to hunt."

A spark ignited, and my mind wasn't on hunting or hurting him anymore, it was only on figuring out just how he planned on teaching me about our strength.

"When we get back, Bella. Right now, follow me."

He opened up the sliding glass door, and I stepped out into the cool, night air. I could see everything even though there wasn't a light on in sight. Trees, leaves, birds, squirrels, a rabbit…

"Take a deep breath, okay?"

I did as I was instructed.

"Does anything smell good?"

After another deep breath, I shook my head. "Just dirt and plants. There are little things, but nothing I want to scale a tree for."

Edward laughed. "For a mountain lion or big cat, you'd scale a tree."

I looked over at him. "You've drunk from them? Will we start drinking human blood after I get settled down?"

He scrunched up his nose. "I'll never drink human blood again. If that's what you prefer then I won't stop you, but your blood will be the last human blood I taste. That's important to me."

I knew I would have been blushing had I been human. "I like that. I don't want you to have human blood either. I'll hunt with you."

We started to walk again and I spoke, "So you've had big cats?"

He laughed again. "No, I haven't _had_ cats."

"You know what I mean, Edward." I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, I've _drained_ big cats," he said. "Let's run."

He took off from me, dropping my hand quickly.

I started after him, completely surprised when I caught up with him after a couple of seconds.

His eyes glazed over a bit, and he licked his lips as I passed him.

This turned him on. Me running, keeping up with him, passing him.

"Stop, Bella."

I did and he ran up behind me.

"Smell again."

I did and this time there was a rich, tangy smell to my right.

"How did I not notice that?" I groaned a little and licked my lips. "It smells delicious." My throat started to hurt worse, and I took off after it, my body automatically knowing what to do and how to go in for the kill. I sensed Edward behind me, but knew he wasn't a threat, so I allowed him to follow.

The scent surrounded me, and I was on autopilot as I tackled the buck and let my teeth sink into its neck right over the pulsing artery that called out to me. I closed my eyes and let the hot liquid slide down my throat, enjoying every drop.

When I swallowed the last bit, I opened my eyes and moved off the animal, standing slowly.

Edward stood next to a tree a few feet from me with his mouth hanging open, panting.

"S'good." I said, bringing my hand to wipe my mouth, I could feel the blood lingering there.

Edward was in front of me before I could move my hand, and I felt his fingers sweep away the mess. He brought his fingers to his lips and slowly licked them clean.

It was my turn to stare as he said, "I've never seen anything in my existence more arousing than you, just now, wild and hunting."

He swallowed and closed his eyes.

I smirked and pushed my body against his. Edward loved this more than he thought he would, I could tell. In his mind, this was all his dreams coming true, and I knew one way to make it better.

My lips ghosted across his, and I let my tongue run along his bottom lip. He shivered and I spoke against them, "Catch me, baby."I was running for a few seconds before I heard his voice. "Oh, I will, sweet girl."

* * *

Thanks for reading! I really hope you liked Bella =) Teasers will be sent with reviews.

Update Friday.

ARAT was rec'ed on The Fictionators last week! I'm all kinds of thrilled. You can go here to read the review: http:/www(dot)fictionators(dot)com/rec/a-race-against-time-by-tanglingshadows/

Also, ARAT was nom'ed for three Vampies Award: Best Overall, Best AU, and Best Romance. You can go here to vote: http:/twificpics(dot)com/vampawards/?page_id=294


	21. Chapter 21

Ch. 21: Come Alive With Me

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. MWAH!

There's M content ahead. Just a warning if you don't like that sort of thing.

* * *

There were many emotions that vampires had when they met their mate.

Shock.

Amazement.

Lust.

Possessiveness.

Ending in utter devotion and loyalty.

I had already experienced that with Bella when I saw her on the sidewalk in Forks. So when she woke up and stared at the ceiling, I was stunned that I went through the same process again.

It wasn't until she asked who she was that I knew she wasn't going through the same thing. She had forgotten. During the change, her memories had been wiped clean.

I fell apart on the inside, and then she said my name.

I was still there inside her mind, but I had been pushed back just a bit by the pain she had suffered. I waited for her to realize, _truly_ realize, what we were to each other.

As I chased behind her through the forest, I understood that while Bella knew we were mates, she might not experience the emotions until she had everything back, or she might not gain that connection until after her bloodlust had been sated.

It was the same way with Esme, Carlisle had told me. The newborn mate needed time to adjust. So, while Bella loved me and wanted to be with me, she hadn't experienced that one look yet that would seal the deal with us.

I could wait.

I moved the through the trees, following behind her, tasting the combination of her skin and the blood that I had just licked from my fingers that had been on her lips.

Needless to say, I had never been harder.

My mate ran in front of me, strong, wild, and immortal. I wanted her with a passion that I never knew existed.

"Ummm." She turned right, and I knew she was moving to the small herd of deer close to us. I heard and smelled them already, but Bella was just learning and my God, she was hot as hell when she drained a kill.

I closed in on her and remembered her words from earlier – "Catch me, baby."

I loved when she called me that. No one had ever given me a pet name or even a nickname before, and though Bella didn't use it a lot, I knew when she did, she was either being sweet or trying to turn me on.

This time, she was trying to turn me on. She just didn't realize I had been aroused and ready for her since I touched my mark on her thigh.

I stopped just shy of where she was. I watched as she took down a small doe, snapping its neck and front legs on impact.

_We'll need to work on finesse._

She moaned as she drank. It was sexual and primal, and I really wanted to see if she would fight me if I got close. All that energy and power? I shivered and realized why mates loved to hunt together without a third wheel tagging along.

Bella pushed the animal away and sighed.

"It doesn't hurt too bad right now." Her voice was soft. "I'm kind of terrible at this, huh?" She pointed to the deer at her feet.

I walked toward her and said, "You'll get better. It takes practice to not get dirty."

I was a bit disappointed that she didn't have any extra blood on her lips this time, so I pulled her to me and tilted her head up.

"Caught you," I whispered against her lips and then claimed them with my own.

Her groan added to the mix of sensations; her hands_ gently_ tugged on my hair, her warm tongue in my mouth mixed with her own taste and the blood she'd just consumed, and her body pressed tightly against mine.

"I need you now, Edward," she spoke as I kissed her neck.

I didn't answer her, just kept tasting, licking and kissing. When her hands started to work on my jeans, I pulled away.

"Our first time will not be in the woods, sweet girl." I placed one final kiss on her lips.

She huffed. "It's not our first time, and I'm ready for this now." Bella reached for me again and her strength was enough to pull me to her. "Don't leave me like this."

I backed her against the nearest tree and sucked on _my_ mark that was exposed on the arch of her neck.

"Yes," she whimpered.

I pushed a hand between us and it easily slid between her skin and the pants she was wearing. I steeled myself, prepared for what I was about to do, and anticipated how far I could run before she caught me.

I let a finger slip between her folds and felt the wetness that was there. She felt the same, all soft and swollen and so fucking wet. I desperately wanted to taste her, but knew it wasn't the time. Not only were we out in the woods and anyone could be near, but I knew that our allies were around and that was not something I _ever_ wanted them to see.

I teased her; pressed against her clit then pushed a finger inside her.

"Sweet girl, you feel so good. Still so warm."

Her eyes were closed and she nodded. "More."

I added another finger and moved a little faster, still not what she wanted.

"Smell the air." She drew in a ragged breath and opened her eyes. "You smell that? It smells like fruit, almost, so sweet."

Her eyes were hooded and she moaned, "Yes."

I got close, letting my lips kiss her jaw. Moving close to her ear, I whispered, "That's you, sweet girl."

Then I ran away from her, as fast as I could, back to the cabin.

I heard her gasp when I was a hundred yards away. I heard the frustrated scream at two hundred yards and finally my name at three.

I smirked and kept going. "Follow me, Bella, and I'll finish it."

She didn't respond, but I heard her footsteps through the fallen leaves. I tried to run faster, but realized I was at full speed and she was gaining on me. I hoped that I had enough of a head start to make it to the deck of the cabin, at least.

Soon, the cabin was in sight and she was right behind me, but she didn't try to grab me. We ran up the deck stairs together, and I pulled the sliding door open while her hands ripped the back of my shirt and her lips found my neck.

"You're so hot." She breathed against my ear.

I laughed. "You're eloquent right now."

"Shut up, I'm adjusting, and my vocabulary isn't all there yet. I'm working with limited word abilities right now. Besides, it's the truth, you're very hot."

I smirked and brought my hands to her shirt. I held the collar with my left hand and with my right thumbnail, I sliced the material down the middle.

"Lesson number one: You don't have to use both hands to get me undressed." I pushed the shirt off her shoulders and stared for a moment at her bare breasts. They were a bit fuller, but her nipples were the same dark pink. I shook myself out of my daze, picked her up, and raised her to where her breasts were level with my mouth. Bella's hands immediately went to my hair and pulled me toward her body. I let my tongue circle one nipple while my other hand brushed over the other.

I licked and sucked on her skin, and she arched into me and called out my name. I started moving us toward the stairs, and Bella slid down my body so that her legs were wrapped around my waist instead of my chest. She kissed me hard, and I wound my hands through her hair and kept her lips pressed firmly against mine. I walked up the stairs but only made it halfway up when Bella pulled me back, which caused me to pin her against the wall. She was grinding her hips into me and nipping at my jaw.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I stumbled back against the banister. It creaked under our weight and the force of our movement.

Bella giggled and then said, "Enough playing around." She wiggled her legs from around the waistband of my jeans and reached with her left hand for the side of the worn material. "Lesson number two: Don't tease the newborn." She pulled roughly, and they tore away from my legs. Her right hand slid between our bodies and enclosed my cock as soon as it was free. I groaned and dropped my head to her shoulder.

Bella moved to kiss both my shoulders and neck as she worked my shaft, and I could do nothing but enjoy it. I was holding her up in the center of the staircase while she gave me the single best hand job ever. She had very little working room between us, but she made the most of it. I could feel the heat from her pussy through her pants and everything served to make me wilder.

I swallowed hard and made her stand up on one of the steps. I needed to get her naked.

"Am I doing okay?" She sounded hesitant as I pulled her hand away.

I looked down at her. She was biting her bottom lip and seemed so vulnerable.

"It's amazing." I reached for the waistband of her pants. "I just really _need_ to touch you now." I paused when I saw her hesitate. "Let me touch you, Bella."

Her nod was small, but I saw it and tore the sweats off her legs and threw them over the banister. She stood on the step above me, so I dropped down on my knees and moved her left leg over my shoulder before I looked up at her. I shot her a crooked grin and kissed my mark softly.

That's when I heard her gasp, and I jerked my head up quickly to see what was wrong.

What I saw made me stop breathing.

_Shock._

"I love you so much." I stood up, dropping her leg gently. I brushed the hair off her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her neck. "Do you feel it now?"

Bella's hands trailed over my shoulders and down my arms to skim over my torso and back up my chest. "Yes."

Her eyes, the cinnamon brown so vibrant and _amazed._

She drew me in for a kiss and we fell on the stairs, my arms slipping behind her back, lifting her a couple inches away from the wood. Even though this wouldn't hurt her, I still wanted to know that I was doing everything in my power to make her comfortable, to put her needs first.

My knees were situated on a step, so I had plenty of balance and stability for what we were going to do.

"I love you." Bella stared at me with wide eyes. "It's overwhelming."

"I know." I lined up with her entrance, sliding the head of my cock between her lips. "Keep looking at me, sweet girl. I want to see you." She nodded, and I pushed in quickly, causing her to dig her nails into my arms.

_Fuck._

Bella scraped her nails down my biceps as I started moving faster. She licked her lips as she stared at the impressions she left before they quickly disappeared.

"I do that to you?" Her voice was rough, and the look in her eyes screamed _lust._

"You sure as fuck do, sweet girl." My body belonged to her; the lust that radiated from Bella's eyes encompassed me and made me feel crazy. "Only you." Her hips started to meet mine and her legs locked tightly around my waist. "I've wanted to take you like this for so long." I thrust harder than I ever had before and felt her clamp down around me.

"Again. Harder." Bella's hands went into my hair again and brought my head down to her chest as she arched her breasts to meet my eager mouth. "Yes!"

Everything was fast and rough. The stairs groaned under our force even though I hadn't let Bella touch them yet.

Her nails scratched my scalp and caused my whole body to tingle with the sensation of really _feeling_ her. "Christ, do that again," I ordered as I sat back a little to look at her face.

Bella's eyes clouded over, and I was on my back before I could even process her look.

_Possessiveness_.

My ass was on a step; my feet found another below me to keep us from sliding, as Bella slammed down onto my cock.

"Bella!" My hands found her hips and I helped her keep her fast pace. "That's so fucking good, sweet girl."

Her arms were wrapped around my neck and she kissed me, tangling our tongues together before sucking my bottom lip softly.

"Your lips are red." She observed.

"Yeah." I nodded and pulled her back to my mouth.

Bella kept coming down on me harder and faster. After a little while, she pulled away, leaned her head back and let her hair graze my thighs.

"I'm so close, Bella. I'm not going to last," I panted.

She looked at me with her mischievous eyes and ran her nails over my forearms, causing me to buck up against her.

"You like that?" she asked before doing it harder.

"Fuck yes, sweet girl," I growled, tightening my grip on her hips.

"I like being able to do this. I like you feeling me, and I like seeing my marks on you."

I felt my balls tighten. "I'm going to come, Bella. It's too much." It sounded like an apology as I said it.

Bella leaned down, still keeping her pace as she glided up and down my cock, kissing my neck and shoulder.

"You're mine, right, baby?" She breathed against my skin.

I moaned and felt my eyes roll back as she gripped my shoulders with her hands.

_I love her touch. I love her words._

"Always."

She hummed against my skin. "Let's make sure everyone knows that."

I didn't even know what happened first after her teeth sank into my neck. I heard the cracking and snapping of wood, but the only thing I really knew was my hand was in her hair, keeping her mouth on my neck as she sucked the venom from my body.

"Fuck! Oh fuck!" I roared and pounded into her hard as I came, feeling her muscles squeeze me and her teeth mark me. A growl rumbled through my chest, and I turned my head to expose more of my neck to her. She pulled back and ran her tongue over it before leaning back, slowing her movements over me.

Her breath was coming out in pants and her eyes were glazed as she touched her bottom lip with her index finger.

My head fell back on the step behind me and I peered up at her, my eyes almost closed.

"You're mine." She licked her lips.

"Yeah." I smiled lazily. "I sure am."

She smiled and her body slumped against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes. Just basked in _everything._

I played with her hair for a moment before Bella sat up again, the movement reminding me that I was still inside her, not that I needed to be reminded. I felt myself harden, but the look in Bella's eyes stopped me from moving.

_Devotion._

Her hand moved to her neck and touched my mark.

"I'm yours, too."

I sat back up and kissed her.

"Yes."

Again, our kisses grew heated. I stood and stumbled my way up the stairs to our room, where that time we made love; slowly, reverently.

As the sun peeked through the windows, telling us we'd spent the entire night wrapped around each other, Bella sighed.

"What is it?" I asked, kissing her shoulder.

"I didn't come on too strong, did I? I mean, I _bit_ you."

I snorted. "That was the single most erotic experience of my life. It's what I've always wanted."

Bella ran her hand over her mark along my neck.

"Is it wrong that I like it?" she asked quietly.

I tilted her chin up and met her eyes. "No. I love it. I wanted it, and I wanted you to want it."

She smirked. "I really, really wanted it. Next time you see Tanya, she'll see it and know she's shit out of luck."

I tensed. "You remember Tanya?"

"I do." She scratched my neck, causing me to purr. "I definitely won." Her voice was more a growl than I'd ever heard before, and I smiled.

"I like this possessive side. Now you might actually know how I felt with all those boys looking at you when we went out to clubs or dinner."

She scoffed. "That's not the same thing. How could a human man—"

"Boy," I interrupted.

Bella rolled her eyes. "How could a human _boy_ compare to you?"

I took her face between my hands and, with my lips brushing against hers, I whispered, "How could a random woman compare to my mate?"

"I guess we're just naturally jealous," she answered.

"Not jealous. They never had you so there was nothing to be jealous over, Bella. It was the fact that they didn't respect my claim on you that made me angry."

"Same here."

The conversation was cut off by a knock from downstairs. I knew who it was and while I knew they couldn't see us, I shielded Bella with my body then pulled the comforter around her.

"Don't move."

I closed the blinds again and went to our luggage, and as I pulled on a pair of jeans, William said, "Can we come in now?"

"No. You can't just come in here. Wait outside until we're ready," I said, listening to see what he was doing.

"Oh, feisty." William laughed.

I brought Bella clothes from the suitcase, and this time made sure to add the bra and panties that I left out the night before.

Bella got dressed and walked to me, then wrapped her arms around my waist. "We smell sweet and earthy." My mouth hung open. "I like that I smell like that right now. I like that we smell like us."

"I do, too."

She kissed me, and we walked out of the room onto the landing.

"What did we do?" She looked shocked and embarrassed.

The banister was broken, half of it lying in the middle of the living room, crushing the couch, and intermittently on the stairs there were holes that I could only assume were from where I'd kicked as Bella marked me.

"You're always making me damage stairs. This is your fault," I said, smiling as we maneuvered around the debris to get to the door.

Bella pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail right before I answered the door; my eyes strayed to her neck, and I touched my own in return. This was almost as bad as me constantly touching the ring she'd given me.

"Took you long enough." William barged in with the ancients right behind him. I held Bella's hand and she stayed behind me, eyeing them warily.

"I don't remember them well, Edward." Her grip on my hand tightened. "They're good, right?"

"Yes, sweet girl." I kissed her hair.

"Should we just sit on the railing then?" Vladimir looked perturbed as he took in the flattened couch.

"Sit wherever you want to," I said as Bella and I walked into the room. "Why did you come here so soon?"

Bella nuzzled my shoulder, and I could sense her unease around the ancients. They were intimidating and as a newborn, she would recognize that immediately.

"We need to come up with a plan. Just because Bella is changed doesn't mean that they will stop looking for you, Edward. We need to figure out where to go from here," Stefan stated.

Vladimir snorted, and I caught him staring at Bella and me.

"What?" I asked, my voice a bit harsher than necessary.

"You're being sought after by the rulers of our world and yet you've been lost in your own little fantasy; fucking and destroying a friend's home."

A snarl ripped through the living room and before I could grab her, Vladimir was flat on his back with Bella's hands circling his throat.

"You don't know anything about what happened here." Her voice was full of anger and even though I couldn't see her eyes, I knew what emotion would be reflected in them.

_Loyalty._

_

* * *

_

Thanks for reading! I really hope you liked Bella =) Don't worry about Vladimir. He'll be fine; he's just pressing buttons.

Teasers will be sent with reviews. Update Friday.

ARAT was nom'ed for three Vampies Award: Best Overall, Best AU, and Best Romance. You can go here to vote: http:/twificpics(dot)com/vampawards/?page_id=294


	22. Chapter 22

Ch. 22: Tell Me What You See

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. MWAH!

* * *

"You can't do that, Bella." I squeezed her shoulder softly, trying not to make her feel even more defensive. "He's our friend even if he's an asshole."

She didn't move, so I kneeled down next to her. Bella turned her head to face me. "Come on, sweet girl. Let me help you up."

Bella nodded and let Vladimir go, standing slowly before taking a few steps backward. Vladimir laughed, sat up and smiled.

"He doesn't know us, and he doesn't know what happened here because that is ours." She turned toward me and scowled. "And in case you forgot, I don't remember who he is! I don't know how he acts, and I don't have any control over my emotions."

Vladimir laughed louder as Stefan joked, "Is the newborn teaching you how to help her?"

"No," I replied petulantly. In truth, I hadn't really done a good job at preparing her for their entry into the cabin. I just took her hand and led her downstairs without any words of assurance of who would be there.

"He's got a lot going on right now," Bella muttered.

"More than you are aware of." Vladimir smirked.

"I know about the Challenge." She moved closer to him. I grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards me.

"Don't agitate her," I growled.

"Sit down, everyone. We have some things to discuss." Stefan sighed. "Brother, contain yourself for a few minutes, please."

Of course, Vladimir huffed before he sat back against the fallen banister. Bella and I sat on the brick ledge by the fireplace.

"So, how are you feeling, Bella?" William asked kindly.

"I'm okay. I'm still getting back my memories."

"You had no problem recalling Edward?" Stefan asked.

"Not really. I didn't remember him when I woke up, but my memories came back to me pretty quickly. I remember everything about Edward now. I have many faces in my mind, but not the stories that go along with them. I have a journal, pictures and Edward, so I'm hoping to get a lot of it back."

"Very good. I'm happy that you will have those things to help you remember."

"Me too," she said, and squeezed my hand softly.

"Have you noticed anything out of ordinary since you awoke?" Vladimir shifted in his seat.

"You mean besides being a vampire?" Bella's voice was full of sarcasm and impatience.

"Of course I mean besides being a vampire. Are you slow?" Vladimir quirked an eyebrow.

I clenched my fists and snarled.

Stefan sighed. "Stop it." The room was quiet for a few minutes before he spoke again, "Bella, has anything you didn't quite understand happened since you woke up? A feeling you didn't recognize, or maybe you saw something but you weren't really sure what it was?"

"I…I don't know." Bella sighed. "I think maybe I did."

"Can you explain it to us?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. Can I think for a minute?"

Stefan agreed, and then turned to me. "We need to figure out where to go next. While this place is good for now, the Volturi will have figured out that you were given approval to change her, and they know that Carlisle keeps a cabin here. They'll come, and we need to be someplace else when they do. Soon."

"How soon?" William cut in before I had a chance to ask the same question.

"Tonight or tomorrow." Vladimir carved his name into the banister with his fingernail. "We cannot afford to stay any longer. We've already been here for three days."

Stefan nodded and looked back to me. "They'll come for her no matter where we go. I don't see an end to this without casualties. We've tied ourselves to you, knowing it was a possibility, so we are prepared to follow you and give you protection."

"That's not true, Stefan. If she can do what I think she can…"

"We don't know that yet," Stefan ground out, turning to stop Vladimir from speaking.

"I don't like being talked about as if I'm not here." Bella sounded scared.

"Perhaps you should be a contributing member of this group and remember the answer to our question then we would include you." Vladimir stood up and walked to Bella. "Tell me child, do you see things?"

Bella stared at him hard. "I see colors. I don't know what they mean. Edward and I share colors that you don't have. It's all different."

"Yes!" Vladimir clapped once, walking back to his seat on the banister. "Think hard, Bella. When you see the colors, do you have an idea what they stand for? An inner feeling, if you will."

Bella shook her head.

"What is this?" I asked, turning to Vladimir. "You wouldn't even tell me what you thought her talent was, but you've shared it with them?" I pointed at the other vampires. My anger was building, but I knew I had to keep a handle on it. Bella needed me calm. If I cracked, it could make her even more terrified or confused at the situation.

"You were occupied, and I needed someone to bounce the idea off of. It's only been in the last day we've discussed it. Don't get all worked up, Edward."

I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath.

_Remain calm._

"Talent?" Bella asked, sounding frightened.

"It's okay, Bella." I wrapped my arm around her, comforting her.

"We have reason to believe that you have a talent, based on some information Vladimir came across while we were in Volterra before the Challenge began. Can you please try to explain what you see? This is so important, Bella." Stefan added.

"I don't even know what I'm looking for or what it's all supposed to mean! You're being so vague, and I don't understand what's going on!" Her voice was shrill.

William cleared his throat. "Chelsea, the Guard member who can sense bonds, once told me what she sees. She said that she can see the bonds between mates, and between vampires and their makers. She even told me that she can see the bond between siblings or family. Are some of the colors you see the same for all of us here?"

Bella sighed and closed her eyes before opening them, eyes burning into the men seated across from us.

"Yes." She nodded. "Some are."

Vladimir smiled. "Bella, those colors are the bonds between us, I believe. Just look at them and try to work it out. We won't talk; we'll be still and let you work."

William straightened up; Vladimir and Stefan did the same.

I watched Bella as her eyes searched the vampires in front of her and then turned to me, looking between us, then down at her body. This went on for a little over an hour.

Bella would shake her head or bite her lip. None of us moved or tried to talk to her. She had all the information she needed from William and Vladimir.

She groaned and whispered, "I think I've figured it out. I don't want to know these things, Edward."

I didn't know what she meant, but I didn't have time to ask because she started to walk across the room. I fought the urge to follow her. I wasn't used to her being so far away since she woke up. I liked her being close to me.

Bella reached out, but dropped her hand before she could reach him, and answered Vladimir's earlier question again, "The colors are different." She touched his chest. "You and Stefan are true brothers. I know this. It's a pretty dark red – crimson." She laid a hand on his shoulder. "You're his maker, too. It's gold. Mine and Edward's are gold as well." She looked between the brothers and asked, "How did that happen?"

Vladimir took a staggering breath, obviously a bit uncomfortable with her knowledge and touch. "He was too close, and I was too young. I got to keep family with me, though."

Bella nodded and cocked her head a little before looking so sad. "You had a mate. The bond was a soft blue. Calm. It's jagged though. You lost her." It was said as a definite; he'd lost a mate. Now I understood what she meant about not wanting to know things.

Vladimir hissed, and I moved closer to Bella as he backed off. "Enough."

Vladimir walked out the sliding glass door and I turned Bella around. "What else do you see?"

In that moment, it was just us; everyone else faded into the background. She touched my cheek and spoke, "When I want to, I can see lots of things. Everything is colorful. We have this gold rope connecting us and this haze that outlines us. It's dark purple and shimmers with silver, like stars." I stared at her intently. "It's beautiful."

"Is that all?" I asked.

"No. Our eyes. They complement each other. They give a deeper meaning to things. I ground you."

"What?"

"Your eyes are like trees, green and lush. I'm brown. I'm your roots and ground. I steady you."

I let my hand run down the curve her cheek. "You do."

The moment was broken when William slid over to us and asked, "Tell me, talented Bella, what do you see when you look at me?"

"Ummm." She hesitated and then narrowed her eyes. "You have a maker of course, but they aren't here so I can't tell you who it is. You don't have any family from your human years left, and you don't have a mate." Bella looked into his eyes. "There's one out there for you though. I don't know when you'll meet her, but for some reason, I know you have one."

He smiled. "So there's going to be a missus, then?"

Bella shrugged. "I think so. It's like there's a missing piece or something. You can't get more human family since they're all dead, and you can't get another maker. I assume that you're missing your mate."

William's smile softened from cocky to thoughtful. "That's really wonderful news, Bella. Thank you." He sighed and walked out the back door and into the woods.

I hugged her close to me and felt her relax into me.

"Bella?" Stefan called.

"Yes?" She turned in my arms, her back resting against my chest.

"A demonstration?" He waved his hand in front of his body.

Bella laughed lightly. "You have a maker and brother who is currently outside brooding in the woods over my invasive answers." Stefan laughed loudly. "As for a mate, I don't see anything. There's something missing, but she's not here right now or something. With William, I know there's someone around for him even though it's not happened yet, but with you it's like…"

"She hasn't been born yet," Edward finished. "You're not searching, are you? You don't even really think about a mate, right?"

Stefan looked between us. "No. I've never had the urge or felt compelled to look for one."

"Neither did I. I felt sad that I didn't have one, but never like I needed to search her out. It wasn't until the last time I lived with Carlisle and Esme that I really told myself to keep my eyes open."

"When was that?" Stefan asked excitedly.

"The late eighties." I looked at Bella.

"Huh. That's promising," Stefan said and walked to the back door. "I'm going outside to think, I'll be back."

We nodded and as soon as the door shut, I kissed Bella.

"You're amazing. I don't even know what I did to be so lucky to have you."

"I could say the same thing." She turned her head and allowed me to move my lips down her neck. "We should go upstairs, yes?" Her voice was rough and thick with passion.

"Uh huh." I picked her up, and her legs wrapped around my waist.

Halfway to the bedroom, Bella froze.

"Wait."

She let her legs fall loosely from my body and looked up at me with a thoughtful expression.

"What did Vladimir mean?"

"What?" I was trying to calm down my aroused body and pay attention.

"Vladimir said, 'If she can do what I think she can'. What did he mean by that? I can see bonds, but how will that help us if the Volturi attack?"

I thought about what she said and swallowed hard. "I don't know. I don't think he's told us everything yet."

Bella got very quiet and looked down at the stairs. Then in the softest voice she'd ever used around me, she said, "Edward, I'm scared."

I wrapped her in my arms and held her tightly. I knew I could brush it off and pretend we'd be fine, but Bella had just admitted her fear to me and I wouldn't make that seem like nothing. "I'm scared too."

Jumping up, she wrapped her legs back around me, and I finished the walk up the stairs.

Instead of the frenzy we had been in before, Bella seemed more subdued and curious.

"Can we read my journal?" she asked.

"Of course." I reached over and pulled her journal from the bedside table.

"Do we have pictures here?" Her hands traced the leather of the journal.

"No. Our pictures are in San Francisco and Forks. Videos are only in Forks."

"Videos?" Bella smiled and then giggled. "I _just_ remembered the videos."

"We'll have to plan a night to watch them." I pushed some hair off her shoulder.

"We need to get out of this mess first."

And just like that the tense atmosphere was back.

Bella and I spent several hours reading through her journal, talking about the people in it and other various things. We spent a lot of time talking about her family. I recounted stories that she'd told me, and she smiled as things came back to her.

"I really wish I had the pictures."

I didn't answer. I wished I could get her pictures, but I knew that was impossible now and might be for a while.

Bella continued to read while I listened, cuddled beside her in bed.

It was a little before five in the afternoon, when Stefan called for us to come downstairs. Bella sighed and closed her book, before kissing my cheek.

"Let's go." She grabbed my hand, and I followed her downstairs.

After we sat down, Vladimir began, "You can see bonds and while that is wonderful, we hope that isn't the extent of your gift. Some of us…" he glanced at Stefan and William "…think you needed a few hours to absorb the idea of a talent before we moved onto the next part."

"What 'next part'?" Bella asked.

Stefan spoke then, obviously noting that Bella and Vladimir didn't really see eye to eye yet. "Now that you know what the colors are, and mean, we'd like to see if you can break bonds or move them."

I stood up, grabbed Vladimir and pushed him against the wall, my forearm solidly against his throat. "This is what you want? You're putting her at risk so she can gain you power?"

I flew back several feet as Vladimir pushed me away. Bella stood up quickly, but backed away, scared at the fury in Vladimir's eyes.

"Me? _You_ brought this on her, Edward! You're the one who didn't do things the way they were supposed to be done. Had she been my mate, I would have taken care of her. I would never have disregarded my mate the way you have. You don't deserve her!

"You think I want power?" He pushed me again and I stumbled over the banister, completely shocked by his words and the venom behind them. "I could care less about power, Edward. I've told you what I want from this. Don't you dare blame me! This is your fault; I'm just trying to clean up your mess the best way possible."

"Yeah, well, you don't have a mate, do you?" I bit back.

He looked me square in the eye and spoke fiercely, "Neither will you if the Volturi take her." Vladimir turned and looked at Bella, who was wide eyed and growling softly, and then back to me before walking back to Stefan. "Explain it to her."

Stefan cleared his throat. "Bella, moving bonds, or breaking them, is a purely mental task. You'll have to visualize them and then mentally try to move them. It's difficult, but you should begin to practice, so you can get a handle on it."

Just then a breeze blew through the opened door and brought with it a familiar scent and another scent I didn't recognize.

The ancients and William crouched down and began to growl. Bella ran to me, looking just as scared as I felt.

Finally, they came through the woods and up on the deck.

"We need to talk," Garrett spoke. His hand was firmly holding a tall, blonde woman's hand.

"What are you doing with her?" William cringed and stepped back.

Bella gasped.

"We're not your enemies." The woman said.

"That's very funny you say that. I specifically remember you coming at us with electricity shooting between your hands, and then I heard Garrett's screams," William said.

"She's going to help us. She's part of the Guard and can give us information."

Vladimir shook his head. "We don't know if she's really loyal to us or what her game is."

Bella walked forward, but I pulled her back to me, unsure of Garrett and the woman he was with.

"He's telling the truth." Everyone stared at Bella. "They're mates."

"Yes." Garrett cocked his head to the side. "How did you know that?"

Stefan stepped forward. "That's nothing to be concerned about. While we can assume you're being truthful, your mate has connections to the Volturi and thus we cannot share information with you until we are sure that her loyalties lie with us."

Garrett nodded. "This is Kate. She's going to help you, Bella. I hope that once you see we're allies; things can go back to normal. I might not like you ancients, but I do respect Edward."

I smiled. "Thanks for that. Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated. You've proven yourself by providing them with a getaway, but…"

"You can't take the chance of Kate telling Aro anything," Garrett finished for me.

I nodded and he sighed. "I understand. I'd be the same way. I can promise that whatever information Kate finds out, we will relay it to you immediately."

William's hand loosened up and he said, "You have my number. Call us."

"I don't know anything about the Volturi really, but I know you don't cross them. For you to put yourself in danger for me, you don't even know me; it's very…" Bella swallowed. "Thank you."

Kate smiled. "You're welcome. I only hope that it helps you."

Vladimir looked between them. "So how long did she torture you before she realized who you were to her?"

Garrett laughed. "Long enough to know that no one should ever be at the receiving end of those hands when she's got them sparking."

The tension in the room evaporated, and Garrett smiled at Bella and me. "I guess we should leave you then, but Edward, I'm so glad that it has worked out so far. We'll do whatever we can to make sure it stays that way."

"Thanks," I said. Bella nuzzled into my side as I spoke.

The ancients and William followed Garrett and Kate out, but I stayed inside by Bella.

"Did you see anything else?" I whispered so low that only she'd hear.

"Yes." She leaned close to my ear and spoke even more quietly. "There was a grey rope that extended from her, but I don't know where it ends. I'm thinking the Volturi. The rope though was so light, almost see through, like the bond wasn't strong at all."

I looked out of the window, but couldn't see anyone.

"If that bond is to the Volturi, then it's a good thing it doesn't seem strong. Maybe they'll help us out." I let my hand squeeze her hip.

While this was good news, it made me scared, too.

Garrett and Kate had gotten far too close before we knew they were even here. As soon as the allies got back, we'd start working out a plan to leave here and we'd need to set up a watch until we left.

_Where would we go though? Was there any place the Volturi wouldn't look or eventually find us?_

I swallowed hard as I let the knowledge finally sink in.

It would end in a fight.

* * *

Thanks for reading! What do you think of Bella's talent? Teasers will be sent with reviews.

Update Friday.

ARAT was nom'ed for three Vampies Award: Best Overall, Best AU, and Best Romance. You can go here to vote: http:/twificpics(dot)com/vampawards/?page_id=294


	23. Chapter 23

Ch. 23: Feels Like Goodbye

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta and pre-read for me. ILY!

* * *

"Try again," Vladimir spoke harshly from the deck.

Since he returned from making sure Garrett and Kate had left, he was being demanding with Bella. On several occasions I considered telling him to fuck off but thought better of it. He was just trying to help, and Bella was holding her own.

"You don't know how hard this is. You're sitting there expecting instant results from a newborn vampire! It's like I have ADD. I can't concentrate, and you're really pissing me off." Bella stalked toward him.

"You should be able to do something this simple. It's your gift."

Bella stood still and huffed. "How would you know? You don't have a talent."

Vladimir bristled. "I'll have you know that I'm one of the best trackers in the world."

"Wow. Let me start the slow clap for you!" She started clapping and then said, "You're a vampire who has an outstanding sense of smell. Congrats. I can smell things, too."

Vladimir looked at me. "How you put up with this, I'll never know. It's like she's become a different person."

I shook my head. "She's not different. She's always been like this. She was just more reserved with you all before her change."

Bella smiled at me, hopefully remembering several of the naughtier times she'd put me in my place.

"It's true. Edward likes it when I tell him what to do." She ran a hand through my hair and licked her bottom lip. "Wanna practice my talent upstairs?" Her eyes were shining and she looked so beautiful.

"Yeah." I nodded. "I can help." I honestly had no idea what to do, but there was a current circulating all around us that made me breath heavier and move closer to her. I didn't think we'd really be practicing anyway, so it didn't matter.

"If you move from this room, we will no longer help you. Focus, child." Vladimir's voice showed his impatience with us.

Bella's bottom lip poked out and she pouted. "All work and no play makes Bella really irritated." I smiled at how she remembered something so small and random from pop culture. I had a strong feeling that Bella would make a full recovery with her memory.

"Try again." Vladimir rolled his eyes.

Bella stared at him, scrunching her face and occasionally cursing, as if what she was trying to do hadn't worked.

"I can't. I have no idea how to move something if I can't touch it, and you're no help. Where's Stefan or William, maybe they can explain it better?"

"They can't. Listen to me, child. Pretend you have hands and move it."

Bella sighed deeply and closed her eyes. "Let me get this straight. You want me to move or break mental bonds that hold you to someone by imagining I have mental hands? This is our best option?"

Vladimir nodded.

"Edward?" I looked at her and she smiled. She always smiled when she looked at me. "Do you have any other ideas?"

I had lots of ideas, but none of them were about what she needed to know. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she wanted my ideas. My bedroom ideas, my shower ideas, my oral ideas. It was like I'd regressed to a newborn; but this time, I wasn't alone, and I wanted to channel all that excess energy into sex.

"My thoughts won't help you, sweet girl," I answered, and saw Vladimir shake his head at me.

"Fine." Bella turned back to Vladimir. "I'm using my mental hands to flip you off."

"I don't care what you do to me as long as you break some bonds." He smirked.

I had a feeling that Vladimir liked Bella's boldness. I wasn't all too comfortable with him touching her or with their banter. Vladimir seemed to be looking for something deeper when it came to Bella, and I didn't like the way he stared.

At that moment, I felt something pull away from me. I closed my eyes and felt a hole, a big fucking hole, where something used to be.

I opened my eyes and looked at Bella, who was smiling. "I did it. I broke a bond!" Bella saw my distressed face. "Are you okay?"

"What did you do?" I pressed a hand to my chest.

"I didn't want to mess with Vladimir so I moved our bond. I broke it from you," she said, sounding very accomplished.

"Well done, Bella," Vladimir said. "Was it difficult to break the mated bond?"

My breath came out quicker, and the pain that radiated from my chest felt intense.

_This is what it feels like to lose a mate._

"Put it back," I begged.

"Edward?" Bella walked toward me.

"Put it back!" I yelled. "It hurts! Put it back!"

"Oh God." Bella's voice was frightened. "I'm sorry. I don't feel like anything's wrong. I didn't know."

"That's because you have the bond still. You ripped it from him. It will naturally hurt," Vladimir stated. "That's why I wanted you to work on mine and Stefan's. It won't be nearly as painful."

I had no idea what was happening, but seeing her there with him so close to her made my mind race. I knew she hadn't left me, but what I was feeling was so horrible.

"Bella, please. I'm sorry if I did something wrong. Please don't leave." I struggled to stand against the ache that spread within my body. "Please, give it back to me."

"I'm trying. I'm trying." She stared at me. "Mental hands," she whispered over and over.

Finally after several minutes of darkness creeping in and my life shattering because my mate had left me, Bella secured our bond. The hole closed up and I felt loved again.

"I'm so sorry." She breathed against my neck. "I didn't know. I just felt more comfortable touching our bonds."

I gave a humorless laugh. "Please don't do that again. I don't care if you touch Vladimir or Stefan or William with mental hands, but please don't ever take that away from me again."

Bella nodded. "Never."

We held each other for a few more seconds before Vladimir said, "You should go upstairs, shower and get ready to leave. You have an hour." He turned for the door. "We'll work on it some more when we get to where we're going."

I stood up, carrying Bella with me upstairs and through the bathroom door.

"I'm really sorry, baby." Bella touched my cheek. "I had no idea that would happen."

I shook my head. "Me either." I swallowed hard. "If I lose you…"

"Don't, Edward," Bella said softly.

"If you die, I will follow," I spoke anyway. "I will not spend an eternity feeling that pain."

She sighed and placed her forehead against my chest. "Neither would I."

I hugged her tightly and kissed her hair. I wasn't going to talk her out of it. After what I had just felt, I would never wish that existence on anyone.

"Let's take a shower." I tugged her shirt over her head. "We can have some fun and then start running again." She took her pants and panties off as I undressed. "Maybe you can make Stefan and William think they are mates. Something funny."

Bella giggled and turned on the shower, letting the water warm up. She didn't need to wait, but it was nice to see a trait from her human life carry over. "That would be interesting."

Soon we were under the spray, the water warming us up and making our kisses wet.

"Ummm." Bella hummed against my lips. "Was this your idea from earlier?"

"Yes. I just wanted you away from Vladimir. I felt weird the whole time," I told her truthfully.

"That's because I never tried to touch his bonds. The entire time I was working on ours," she confessed and started kissing across my chest.

I smirked. "That explains why I thought he was making moves on you. Did you give my bond to him after you removed it?" I felt anger with that thought.

She moved down my torso, leaving soft kisses and nips before she rested on her knees in front of me. "Never. I held it close to me. I'd never give that bond to anyone."

I groaned as she placed an open-mouth kiss on the head of my cock.

"This okay?"

"Yes," I answered and moved my hands to her hair, gathering it behind her to give me a good view of her face.

She started out slow, licking me from base to tip and swirling her tongue around me. I let myself get lost in the feel of her mouth on me and rested my head against the tile of the shower in front of me, effectively caging her underneath me. When she sucked me harder, I moved one hand from her hair to trace her jaw.

"You're so beautiful," I rasped out, letting my hips thrust forward.

Her hands wrapped around my thighs, and she moaned as I started moving inside her mouth. It was still rather tame compared to how hard I could have moved, but I did not want to be rough. I wanted to have this for just a moment; the feeling and the memory.

How her lips looked the perfect shade of red as they surrounded me. The way her eyes looked up at me with lust and love, it had always been a sight to see when Bella was on her knees in front of me, but right now, it was amazing. Even amidst all the turmoil surrounding us, we were together, and she could still make me shake in anticipation.

"Get up, sweet girl." I pulled her shoulders. "Put your hands on the wall," I instructed and watched as she turned, bent at the waist and put her hands on the tile. The water hit the middle of her back and she arched slightly against the feel.

I traced my hands down her sides and gripped her hips hard.

"I want to be rough, but I want to be soft too," I whispered. "I don't know what to be."

"Be both." She pushed back against me, and my cock slipped across her heat.

I pulled back a little and lined us up before slamming into her. I watched as her back arched further and heard her groan my name.

Her hair clung to her back and little droplets of water trailed down her body. When I started to move, I watched as they shook and fell to the floor.

"Harder." Bella straightened up enough to wrap her arm around my neck and tangle her fingers in my hair. I stumbled back from the force of her movements and ended up sitting on the bench seat in the corner. Her back still to me and her legs on the outside of mine, I grabbed her hips and started moving us again.

She leaned back against me completely, her head on my shoulder and her lips scattering kisses along my jaw.

"I want more." Bella's finger scratched my scalp.

"Tell me, sweet girl. I'll do whatever you want." I kissed her shoulder and sucked on her skin.

"Touch me." She breathed heatedly and pulled one of my hands from her hip to her breast.

I brushed my fingers over her nipple, earning a gasp of approval. In order to get better access, I stopped and moved Bella's legs inside mine and said, "Keep the pace you want. I'll do everything else."

I saw her smile as she took over, riding my cock. I wrapped an arm around her, right beneath her breasts, and let my hand tease her nipples. I could feel her clench lightly and get wetter, so with my other hand, I touched her clit gently.

"More, please. It's so good." She leaned back against me again.

I growled as I felt her fingers join mine, drawing tight circles on that swollen bundle of nerves. Her breathing picked up, and I knew she would come soon. Smiling, I started moving faster, feeling her breasts and clit under my hands.

Just when I thought I'd finally make her come before me for the first time since she'd woken up, she slipped her hand from her clit and started squeezing the base of my cock just light enough to make me crazy and tense.

"If you're going to do that, then go all in, Bella. Hold my cock the way you know I like." I panted and thrust faster, still maintaining contact with my hands.

With that advice, she started stroking what little bit of me wasn't inside her. It was like never leaving her body and when she came around me, her hand mimicked the feel of her pussy clenching me.

"Keep doing that. Fuck!" I twitched and came, her name reverberating around the shower stall.

My body felt sluggish and sated, so I leaned back against the wall.

"That was really good." She sighed contentedly.

"Just good?" I brushed her hair off her shoulder.

"I'm leaving you room for improvement." She turned her head and smiled at me.

I traced her jaw with my hand. "I've never been more in love with you. You're in-fucking-credible."

She giggled and shook her head. "Such a way with words, Mr. Masen."

"I have a way with you, Mrs. Masen," I answered.

"You definitely do."

She stood up and let the water run down her body. I sat and stared, not wanting the moment to end.

It did, though.

We finished showering and redressed with ten minutes to spare.

I kissed Bella and pushed the luggage under the bed.

"We'll leave it here. We can't afford to carry it with us." I stood and hugged her.

"What about my journal?"

I reached into my back pocket and pulled it out. "I'll keep it with me. We'll need some reading material while on the run after all."

Bella grinned. "So vampires don't sweat? Our clothes won't get nasty from all the running?"

I laughed and took her hand. "No, we don't sweat or any other human bodily function that could be hindering, like using the bathroom." We walked out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

"That's really convenient."

The allies were standing on the deck, and we joined them with smiles on our faces, rejuvenated.

"I say we head south." William looked out over the forest. "They'll expect us to run north because it's not as populated, and with a newborn we won't draw attention to ourselves in the middle of nowhere."

Stefan nodded. "Do we risk it though?" He looked at Bella. "She's a newborn, and if we run across a human she could kill them."

Vladimir sighed. "It's worth it."

Bella didn't speak, just held my hand tighter. "I think we should go south. We can keep her from killing; there are four of us and one of her."

With a final nod, we took off, racing through the trees, towards nowhere in particular, just away from the cabin; away from Chicago.

"I like running," Bella said with a smile.

"I love you." I grinned and turned around, running backwards, just so I could see her face.

"You're a goof. I'm glad that you are, too." She ran closer to me, her fingers dancing along my arm. "I'm so very lucky."

I kissed her hand quickly before turning around and keeping pace beside her, following the others.

We hadn't been running long when William's phone buzzed. He reached into every pocket he had before finally pulling it out of his inner coat pocket.

"Oh fuck," he whispered.

"What?" Stefan asked.

"We've been targeted. It's Garrett. He says that Jane, Alec, and Demetri have been ordered to find us; to bring us all back."

I grabbed Bella's hand again and tried to run faster.

"We need to get away from here as quickly as possible. We need to find a car so we don't leave a trail," I said, panicking.

"He's right." Vladimir looked around quickly, breathing in more deeply than before. "The next town, we'll get a car. The smaller the population, the better, where Bella is concerned."

I nodded and tightened my hold on Bella.

It was five minutes later when we heard a branch snap and voices about a mile away. Vladimir stopped immediately, and we stopped beside him. He looked between me and Bella and said, "Run as fast as you can, as far as you can. Don't stop or come back."

I pulled Bella away and we started to run again, leaving Stefan and Vladimir to face the Guard alone.

I looked behind me once, knowing what would happen to them, and then continued on, not knowing how much further we could outrun the guard anyway.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

I'm donated a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information on how to donate and donations will be accepted until March 31st!

Also, ladysharkey1 and her co-conspirator jadsmama have donated the first chapter of their upcoming fic. It's great!

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	24. Chapter 24

Ch. 24: Powerless

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who both beta, pre-read, talk me down from ledges, and made me think that I could finish this story in the way that I had envisioned to begin with.

Without them, this story wouldn't be what it is.

* * *

Inevitability.

I knew when I had first smelled her scent through the ventilation systems in the immersion room that they would catch us and they would take her from me.

I was amazed at the speed of the thoughts rushing through my head when I finally _realized_ this was it. This was the moment I'd been dreading for years.

"I'm scared." Her voice was anxious as she looked to the side, trying to catch sight of anything out of the ordinary.

"We just need to keep moving," William said sharply.

I didn't speak. I couldn't.

Bella looked over at me and tried to smile, but I could see in her eyes that my silence cemented her thoughts. She knew, just like I did, that our time was up.

When he stepped into our path, hundreds of yards in front of us, I didn't even flinch. When the fog of paralysis started to take over my body and slow me down, I gripped Bella's hand tighter and tried so as hard as I could to move us away from him.

"What's happening?" Bella looked at me with such frightened eyes.

"He's gifted; he can paralyze us at will, with one simple thought, we are frozen, immobile. We need to get away." I sighed and felt my legs lock down. "Don't let me go, sweet girl. Hold on."

The fog crept up my body and I saw the moment it had captured Bella completely because her eyes stopped looking from him to us and lay frozen on me.

"Love you," I whispered before it took over my vocal cords.

Using his gift, Alec incapacitated and paralyzed us, but we still heard and saw everything that happened in the woods. So I stood, my hand still hanging on to my mate's while I watched him walk the rest of the way toward us.

He stopped in front of William first and rolled his eyes. "I knew I'd find you with Masen even before we were given all your names. _Friendships._ You should have joined the Guard a long time ago and you wouldn't be in this position now."

William couldn't respond and I doubt Alec really wanted expected him to, anyway.

He smiled in Bella's direction and swept over to us, bowing slightly.

"Miss Swan." He kissed her cheek softly, but I couldn't even growl. "I've not heard too much about you personally, but you're causing quite the stir in Italy." He paused then before continuing, "I can assure you that you will not come to harm under my hand or my companions'. We are on strict orders to retrieve you, and we aren't to destroy anyone. Let that calm you."

Alec then turned to me with a great sigh. "I always thought you were a nice guy, Edward. You kept to yourself, you didn't stir the pot." He shook his head. "Well, now I know why you've been extra careful the last few years. I _am_ truly sorry it has come to this."

The amount fear and anger surging through my body was electric. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to run away with Bella. I wanted to go back in time and change her the moment I met her.

I could hear voices in the distance, mostly likely Vladimir and Stefan, stalling for us. They had to have known we had been stopped by that point.

As soon as that thought left my mind, I heard their screams of pain and knew that Jane was dealing them a terrible misery for becoming allies with me.

"My sister." Alec sneered.

I knew very little about their history. It was a misconception that they were twins. Really, Alec was several years older than Jane. I believed he'd been turned around eighteen or nineteen and Jane was fourteen or so.

Jane looked older and therefore passed as his twin because during her life, she'd been quite the baby maker. It was awful really, to be a mother of two and that young, but during Jane's time, it was commonplace. She looked more like a woman than a child, so in her change, those things became accentuated.

I knew that he absolutely despised his sister, but not why. The Volturi changed them as a set because they showed talent as humans, but if I could guess, I'd say that Alec wished they would have just killed him instead of leaving him as her other half.

Alec looked back at me. "She won't hurt Bella."

As if that gave me any comfort when I was staring into the fearful eyes of my mate, knowing there was nothing I could do to make it better for her.

The screams died out and I heard movement. Soon, Demetri came through the trees carrying both Vladimir and Stefan, who were as close to unconsciousness as a vampire could get.

"Brother, put them under," Jane said dispassionately.

She stood in front of me, all blonde hair and ice blue eyes, with no interest at all and seemed bored by the whole situation she'd been put in charge of. She was shorter than me, so our eyes never met. No, as Jane spoke, my eyes were fixed on Bella as I listened to our world fall apart.

"Edward Masen, you have broken the rules of our world: your punishment is to be delivered at the hand of Aro, our King. To ensure you will come to Volterra and stand before the Brothers, we will be taking something of yours. Collateral, if you will."

Jane motioned for Demetri. "Pick her up. Alec, release the hold long enough for him to place her in a position that will be easy to run in, and then reapply the fog." Before anyone moved she turned to Bella. "Don't try anything during those seconds. If you do, I will kill one of them."

It all happened so quickly; her body slumped from being released, and Demetri caught her and drew up into his arms, with her head lying on his shoulder, then she was like stone again.

I only heard her gasp.

I didn't like him holding her, I didn't like him touching her like I did, and I sure as hell didn't like the smug look he shot me after Alec placed her back under.

"Well, Edward, it's been a pleasure. I'll take good care of your girl for you." Demetri turned and I could no longer see Bella's face. My chest hurt, but not nearly as bad as when she took the bond away.

Alec waited to follow his companions and said, "I'll not be releasing you and because of that, when I get out of range, it will take a few hours for the effects of my gift to leave you. I didn't want you to be worried you'd never move again." He turned and ran. "See you in Italy, boys!"

It was a matter of two seconds and they were all gone from my sight. My body was frozen, but my mind was running a hundred miles an hour.

What next?

Italy. I needed to get to Italy.

Vladimir would have a plan; he always had a plan. I couldn't go to Italy without a strategy. I needed to be prepared to fight, but I need to be calm and process everything first. If I ran in there unprepared, Bella could be hurt.

I would take my time, surely Vladimir would agree. We would plan for the next couple of days because he would say it was best and wouldn't lead me in the wrong direction. We could gather forces with other vampires that didn't like the Volturi and take them all on.

Behind all of these thoughts was Bella's face, her scared, wide eyes looking to me for answers. I had failed her as her maker and more so as her mate. I should have never been given her love as a gift. It was beyond obvious that I couldn't care for her in the ways she needed to be cared for. I didn't protect her.

Like always, Vladimir was right when he yelled at me earlier that day.

_I didn't protect her. _

Slowly, my body came back to me. It started with my hair and up until that moment, I had no idea that I could feel my hair.

"No. No. No." I had no idea that I'd been trying to speak until my vocal cords were able to move again. I repeated it a few more times before I knew I could turn my head. I looked at the others who were as stricken as I was.

"Edward?"

My chest was moving quickly from the force of my breathing, and I felt terror grip the muscles that had previously been unmoving.

Finally, the fog let me go completely and when it did, I hit my knees.

"Edward?" I heard Vladimir walk to my side. "Get up."

I looked up at him and I begged. "Help me, please. You know what to do you. You can help me get her back. Please, I'll do anything, give you anything. You _know_ them_._"

Vladimir shook his head.

"No. Don't give up. I need you to help me. I've made a mess of this," I continued.

He didn't answer, so I looked to Stefan and William. "You'll help me? I need to get her back, but I don't know where to start or what to do." I sobbed, and whispered, "Bella would know what to do."

It was several minutes of me tearlessly crying before Stefan knelt beside me. "Edward... There's nothing we can do now. I'm sorry. There is no plan."

He spoke so softly. I had heard that voice before a million times when I would follow Carlisle to the hospital when he visited. It was the tone a doctor used when explaining the death of a loved one. Even his eyes radiated pity.

"That's not good enough!" I snarled. "Help me." I stood up. "Help me get her back!"

"I'm so sorry, Edward." William rubbed his face with his hand.

"I don't need your fucking 'sorry'! I need your allegiance! I need your help!" I screamed at him. "Please."

Vladimir cleared his throat, and I looked hopefully to him. "Like Stefan said, there is no plan, Edward." I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued, "All you can do now is go to Volterra and hope they kill you both."

"No." I shook my head.

"Yes. You can't defeat them. We knew it was a long shot, but I honestly don't think Bella will be in any state to use her talent. I figured on us having months to work with her on it, not one day." He swallowed. "I'm sorry."

I stared at him, waiting for him to give me more than that, but he never did. I nodded and looked at each of them. "This is goodbye, then. Thank you for all your help."

I started to walk away at a human pace because I honestly didn't know if I could run. I hadn't taken more than a few steps when Vladimir came up on my right. I looked over at him, and he smiled slightly.

"You heard Bella; I've got nothing worth living for anyway." He stuffed his hands into his coat pocket. "Maybe this is what I was meant for after all."

I didn't answer, and we walked deeper into the woods outside of Chicago.

No one else followed us, but I knew why, just as Vladimir did; while they didn't have them now, Bella had promised them a future when she said they would find mates. They had something to look forward too.

When we arrived at the airport, Vladimir walked ahead and bought tickets for the next flight to Rome and I looked around, wondering if it had really only been six days since Bella and I had walked through this same terminal, hoping for her change.

I blinked away the venom from my eyes as Vladimir walked beside me. "You'd think if we could produce the venom to cloud our vision that it would fall. I guess it just sets us apart, we can't have that release of sadness when we are the ones cursed for an eternity of wanderings." He sounded so bitter compared to the vampire who talked about having a soul when we first met. "Maybe we don't have souls. Maybe this is our punishment for some misdeed when we were humans. I don't know, but I think we should be able to let those damn things fall. Instead they mock us and keep our despair blocking our path. Not like we'd ever forget anyway."

He clapped my shoulder. "The flight is in three hours."

"Thank you," I whispered.

He sighed and looked at me, shrugging. "Maybe if I do this, save you, save Bella, I can get my Lena back. It's a silly notion, but I need something to cling to." He started the walk to security and said, "Maybe this is the test to prove if we have a soul, that we will sacrifice for another. Or maybe I'm crazy and all of this points to us containing a soul anyway."

I smiled genuinely and said, "Bella has a soul and because I know that, I know I have one, too. You had a mate," I paused. "A wife. You've helped me when you didn't have to; you've followed me here now to fight for Bella. You have a soul and so did your Lena. You'll find her again."

Vladimir scoffed. "Look at you talking me down from a ledge. This used to be the other way around."

I took a seat by our gate and sighed. "All I know is that if Bella and I are destroyed, I'll find her again. A love like ours just doesn't fade away." I looked at him questioningly. "It doesn't, does it?"

It was the first time ever I saw tears cloud his vision as Vladimir smiled softly. "No. It doesn't."

The hours passed in silence and before long a stewardess gave the boarding call.

Vladimir and I filed onto the plane, took our seats, and prepared for hours in that tiny cabin. My thoughts, once panic stricken, had calmed and an air of acceptance seemed to ease my pain.

It also helped that I didn't feel the agony I had when Bella pulled our bond away that morning. As long as that didn't happen, I knew that Bella was alive and we still might stand a chance. If it broke, I would take down as many of the Guard as I could before they burned me.

"Vengeance," Vladimir murmured before turning away. "It looks good on you."

* * *

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

Teasers with reviews and update Tuesday.

I'm donated a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information on how to donate and donations will be accepted until March 31st!

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	25. Chapter 25

Ch. 25: Twisted

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who do everything to make this story so you can read it.

* * *

When I was seventeen, I came home to an open door and a destroyed living room. I thought that was the worst day of my life. My parents were gone, small droplets of blood littered the entry way and couch.

It was obvious what happened to them and at that moment, I vowed to steer clear of vampires. I had a security system installed and did not walk anywhere after dark by myself again.

I never realized just how ridiculous all of my precautions were until I met Edward.

That moment though, the one where I walked through the door of my childhood home, paled in comparison to being carried away from Edward. Maybe it was because I couldn't recall my emotions really well due to the change or perhaps it was because I had truly bonded with my mate; I wasn't sure, but I knew that the despair I felt as I looked into his eyes was enough to make me cry for an eternity.

I couldn't move, couldn't speak, nor could I comfort him. It pained me so much not to be able to calm him because that's what I did for him throughout our relationship.

I steadied him and forced him to stop thinking and breathe.

Instead, I was forced to stand by while he tore himself down inside his own mind.

The Guards were different than I had imagined they would be. For some reason, I thought they would be ancient vampires with paper-thin skin and milky eyes. No, these vampires appeared to be young, they were beautiful and they had no conscience.

The girl stood in front of Edward like she was royalty, and I wanted to kill her. She wasn't above us; she was a lackey.

She spoke in a bored, haughty voice, informing him of his crimes and his punishment. Somehow I knew that his punishment wasn't confined to what Aro would do to him in Volterra — it had started immediately. They were showing him just how helpless he was in protecting me; that they could take me and he could do nothing but sit by and watch.

I couldn't even get a word out as the fog lifted and I was swept into the waiting arms of their star tracker. I hated touching him, and I hated the way his arms molded around me, cradling me, in a way only Edward had ever done.

When he turned away from Edward, I was forced in a different direction and our eye contact was broken.

I was lost.

I was scared.

The further we got away the more angry I became and when I could no longer smell him in the air, I knew if I hadn't been frozen, I would have been growling.

All I could feel was rage. My mind wouldn't think of anything else, and when we entered the city limits of Chicago and Jane spoke, I knew that I would kill her - or at least try to - before this was over.

"Now, we have a schedule to keep. Play nice, target." She walked in front of us, leading us down side streets. "Edward won't be able to save you anyway, but we'd like to at least get you to Volterra. Demetri will carry you through the airport; no one will question it because of our tokens." She touched the intricate 'V' symbol on the chain around her neck. "Just be glad that you will die first. I hear the pain of losing a mate is unbearable. At least you won't have to deal with that before you go."

The airport was full of humans staring. I mentally snorted and thought, "They've always stared at me." Then I realized it wasn't me they were staring at. This was probably the first time any of them had ever seen members of the Guard who actually wore their affiliation around their necks. The Volturi were very secretive and never made a show of things; to humans, that was very scary. Many probably wondered what I had done to warrant such an entourage.

The more imaginative would think I was being saved by the Guard and that I was precious because I was being taken by such an elite team. Others would think I was a murdering vampire that had finally been caught.

The amazing thing was, as we walked through the terminal, bypassing security completely, I realized that the scent of the humans around me didn't work me into a frenzy. They smelled good, like a vanilla candle would smell to a human; something that you'd like, but you didn't want to eat it.

In the complicated place that was my mind, I made a note that I should ask Carlisle about that if Edward and I were allowed to live. I also needed to ask him about my talent. He was so smart and knowledgeable that he would know how to help.

_My talent._

_My talent!_

In the time that my newborn mind scanned through the topics to discuss with Carlisle, I knew that I had forgotten my biggest asset, the thing I could use to get me out of here - my talent.

I immediately tried to see the bonds around me, and my mind screamed out in victory when I saw the crimson bond between two small children walking in front of us.

In my head, I was berating myself for not trying that earlier and no doubt, Edward had been wondering the same thing. I had been so shocked and angry that it didn't even register at first. I couldn't see Jane or Alec since they started to walk beside us, so I decided that on the plane, I would start to practice moving bonds.

I hadn't really had much success at the cabin, and when I did remove Edward's bond it hurt him; I wondered if other vampires would feel their bonds shift as well.

That thought made me pause for a moment. The Guard didn't need to know I had a talent. If they knew, they could force me to stay with them and keep Edward away. They could punish him more by keeping me.

The panic rose again, and I lost my thoughts about bond breaking to a lifetime of being away from Edward. I couldn't let that happen.

"I was told to expect you." A flight attendant spoke quietly to Jane. She stood in front of me, and I could see the attendants eyes were fixed on the floor. "Your seats are in first class. After you've been seated, we will not disturb you for the duration of the flight unless you request anything."

"Good." Jane's voice was clipped.

"Right this way."

The attendant led us into the jet way and then to our seats on the plane. Alec let me go momentarily so that I could sit normally and then replaced the fog.

From my position, I could see humans and Jane and Alec.

It was when I saw them that I remembered the bonds. I knew that if I was going to really make that work, I couldn't get sidetracked again. My newborn nature was against me, but I tried.

When we reached cruising altitude, I was busy looking over Jane and Alec's bonds. They were true siblings, they had no mates and surprisingly, Jane didn't even have a prospect of a mate. I didn't even know if that were possible, but maybe she was too evil to feel any type of emotion for someone else. Alec had the potential for mate, but he seemed a bit more likable than Jane anyway.

They had a maker and from what I could tell by the bond, it seemed like it was the same maker. I had no way of knowing, though. They also shared a dark grey bond, similar to Kate's, which I finally decided had to be their loyalty to the Volturi.

I was tempted to try and move their bonds, but then stopped short. If they could feel the change, I couldn't risk it so soon. I needed to keep that secret until later.

So, I practiced on the humans seated around me.

I tried to break the bonds of friends sitting in front of us and after an hour of trying, I accomplished it. They didn't seem to notice and after a few minutes of moving their bonds to me and back or to the flight attendant, I set them back the right way.

In those few moments, I felt hope. I could bond people to me and if I practiced, I'm sure I could do it quicker.

For the next several hours of the flight, none of the Guard members spoke, and I examined the bonds of the humans I could see.

They had mated bonds, though not as strong as vampires, they had blood bonds, and they had different levels of loyalty to friends. The most interesting aspect, I realized, was that humans only showed the bonds that factored with the people they were with, at least when it came to friends.

The thicker the bond, the closer the friend.

It was quite interesting when I used my new and improved hearing between a couple of woman whose relationship was very one-sided. One woman had a very solid bond to the other, while her companion's bond was thin and slightly see-through.

I didn't like that I could see the way people really felt towards others.

It was depressing.

Then my mind started moving in the direction of Forks, and what I would see if I looked at some of the friendships closest to me when I returned there...

Would my friends really be friends?

What if I saw that some of them didn't like me at all? What if they didn't want to be my friend now? What if they didn't like Edward?

Again, my newborn mind caused a panic that I wasn't used to and made me scared to even return to Forks. Finally, after several minutes of convincing myself otherwise, I decided that I just wouldn't look at the bonds of my friends.

That calmed me immensely. I would have rather not known at all then deal with Alice or Rose treating me as if they liked when they didn't.

I paid attention to the women in front of me again and tried to move the dark gray. It was difficult getting my mental hands around it, but after a few minutes, I had enough of a hold to break it from her less-than-friendly friend and give it to the flight attendant who was serving drinks down the aisle.

They didn't seem to notice any type of disturbance, and I moved it back before the flight attendant left my sight.

I felt accomplished and very proud as the plane descended into Rome. I had managed to move the bonds of the woman from her friend to other passengers I could see, and perhaps the most crucial exercise, I moved their bonds to me.

For the moment I connected their friendship to me, I had their allegiance.

As Demetri carried me through the terminal, then ran through the countryside to Volterra, I comforted myself with one plan and reworked it in my mind, over and over, until I knew it would be our only shot.

My thoughts were cut off shortly after that finalization, and I took in the walled city of the rulers of our world.

I had seen pictures of Volterra, but never in my life had I ever dreamed of seeing it up close. In fact, the only humans that still lived here were descendents of those who lived in the city when the vampires took over. I always figured it was because they were threatened or maybe they were convinced that the Volturi wouldn't hurt their own citizens.

I really didn't want to find out.

As we made our way through the grand castle halls and narrow staircases, I wondered how many people had died here.

Then I wondered if Edward had been down this particular passage. Just the thought that he had made me feel safer. He would come for me and either I would save us or we would die together.

"Gianna." Alec said, smirking as he walked ahead of Demetri.

I saw the woman standing up behind a desk and then I heard her heartbeat.

I couldn't believe that a human would willingly work in this castle, for these vampires, but Gianna, as Alec called her, seemed to be happy about it. She smiled and spoke flowing Italian to them, but neither Jane nor Demetri acknowledged that she'd spoken.

I wondered briefly what would happen to her if she got a paper cut in a castle full of vampires, but then Alec pushed open the arched wooden doors at the end of the hall.

"Welcome! Welcome, Isabella." The voice was light and kind. "Release her Alec. Demetri, help her stand."

For the first time in half a day, I could actually move. I rotated my wrists and neck, sighing at the feeling of my muscles responding when I wanted them to.

"Now, Isabella." I turned to the voice and knew immediately who he was. He was Aro, the man who had condemned me and Edward to death. "You must be so unsure of what's happening to you. The newborn period for vampires is so harsh and messy. Has Edward taken care of you?"

"Yes," I answered shakily. My newborn nature made me easily distracted and confused, but it also told me that he was dangerous, even if I hadn't already known who he was. "Why am I here?" Playing dumb couldn't hurt my chances at survival.

He turned his head slightly and dark hair spilled over his shoulder, and I got lost in the different browns that made up the color. Then I noticed his eyes were a deep brown, almost black, carrying the same shades of brown as his hair.

Behind him were two other vampires. I looked at them using my talent and knew that one, the light haired vampire, was Aro's real brother while the darker haired one was just deeply loyal to them.

"Isabella?" Aro called my name and smiled indulgently. "That is Caius," the actual brother, "and that is Marcus," not real brother, "and they are my brothers and fellow rulers."

I nodded.

"Why am I here?" I asked again.

Aro laughed loudly and the others in the room, including several Guard members, laughed as well.

"I answered that already, but you were in another world."

I looked down, embarrassed. "I'm sorry." I got lost in a memory of Edward knowing that I was off somewhere in my mind and how he brought me back, speaking to me with love and calming me. "Edward always knew and would wait for me to come back before he answered."

Aro smirked. "Dear Bella, Edward is not here. I will not spend all day waiting for you or waste time repeating answers after this one. You are here because your mate has broken the rules of our world and kept a human for a mate for an extended period of time. He did not marry the mate we chose for him, that is simply not acceptable."

I swallowed and closed my eyes tightly before I looked back up at Aro and really took in the room around me.

Marble flooring and columns were interspaced along the sides. The ceilings were high and had what looked like frescoes from hundreds of years ago painted on them, but they were never maintained. Every vampire in this room was a member of the Guard. They all had thick, dark grey bonds and surprisingly they all ended up with Aro. Not one of them were loyal to Caius or Marcus, which made me believe that they were just around for appearances and served no real purpose.

Judging by all the bonds connecting to Aro, he was the man in charge and it wasn't the brothers that had been humiliated. It was just Aro.

"Tell me, Isabella. What is so special about you that he would give up a beautiful vampire like Tanya and bring the wrath of the Volturi upon him?"

I finally made it back to his eyes and I could tell he thought I hadn't been paying any attention again.

I smirked slightly and bit my bottom lip before saying, "I'm his mate. What you offered wasn't comparable to what he had already found. From what he has told me, Tanya is so old she doesn't even have a last name, and she's been with so many vampires and humans she can't remember all their names." I broke into a full grin as Aro's mouth dropped open. "That's an impressive feat, considering she has vampire memory and all."

I barely had time to react when I was tackled the ground by a mass of strawberry blonde hair. "How dare you speak of me this way! You're nothing but a vampire groupie who conned one into changing you!" Her voice was scratchy and high.

Her hands were around my neck; I looked into her icy blue eyes and shivered. "You're evil." I spoke before thinking, another side effect of my newborn nature. "You're like really evil."

_Apparently my vocabulary was still lacking. _

I used my legs to kick her off of me and she flew back several feet while I scrambled up.

"Edward never gave me a chance to show him just how good we could be." Tanya's voice was harsh.

For some reason, my sense of humor returned because I looked at her and said, "I think he could have found out all about how good you are from anyone in this room." She growled, but I kept speaking, "Trust me, Edward has never gone without, and he's always been completely satisfied. In fact, we tend to break stuff." I got sucked into a memory of our recent activities in the cabin and the destroyed banister and stairs. It was a valuable two seconds that allowed Tanya to grab me again and throw me against a column along the side of the room.

"Enough," Aro finally spoke up. "Tanya, run along. We can't have you damaging the goods before Edward arrives."

"Aro, she baited me into a fight. This is her fault." Tanya looked like she was about to stomp her foot.

"Tanya. Go." Aro flicked his hand in the direction of the door and walked over to where I was standing. "Isabella, we expect Edward to arrive in a matter of hours, please play nice until then or I will have Alec put you under. Do you want that?"

"No," I answered softly.

"Good." Aro turned away and walked to his chair, which was really more like a throne, and sighed. "Bring in our dinner."

I turned to the door as I heard footsteps approaching - a lot of them. The steps got closer and the heartbeats sped up. I looked in horror at Aro, and he smiled at me before saying, "Please enjoy, Isabella. I know the deer that Edward has been feeding you can't be satisfying that newborn thirst."

My breathing picked up and the doors flew open, followed by vampires herding in a room full of humans; at least thirty - one for every vampire in the room.

I backed against the column and closed my eyes, trying desperately to block out the sounds and smells, wishing that Alec would put me under again.

The screams were deafening to my improved hearing, and the scared humans made the room feel so much warmer from their body temperatures. I didn't breathe at all.

After what seemed like hours, the screaming slowly stopped and all that was left was a single heartbeat and whimpering.

I opened my eyes, still not breathing, and stared at the young woman in the center of the room. Bodies scattered around her and she visible shook with fear as Aro spoke, "Isabella? You are a guest here. You must eat."

I made eye contact with the woman and shook my head. "No." When speaking, I took a breath and caught the intense scent of blood.

It smelled delicious, but again, I didn't want it. I just liked the smell, it was warm and spicy and enjoyable. It didn't smell anything like the deer I had run after with such desire.

"I don't want her," I answered, looking at Aro. "She holds no appeal for me. I prefer animals."

Aro laughed loudly.

"It seems that Edward has made you as defective as he is."

Rage coursed through me, and I ran and lunged for Aro. Right before I hit him, I was crippled by a pain like I had never known. It spread throughout my body and made me want to crumple in on myself, but kept my arms and legs pulled tight with agony.

"That will be all, Jane." Aro sighed. "Alec."

I felt someone stand me up, and then the fog covered me again.

If I had been able to, I would have smiled. I could see everyone in the room. I could see all their bonds. I had never been more prepared to do what I was going to do.

"Chelsea, please take the human away, give her to Tanya." Aro dismissed her.

My mind was reeling, taking it all the bonds around me, wondering if I would ever be able to save us from this room.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Next update will be Friday and teasers will be sent for reviews :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I'm donated a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information on how to donate and donations will be accepted until March 31st!

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	26. Chapter 26

Ch. 26: Fall

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

As always, ladysharkey1 and Jen328 are responsible for everything. Beta'ing, pre-reading, sometimes flailing =) MWAH!

* * *

"So what do we do now?" I asked as we stepped out into the evening light in Rome.

Vladimir shrugged. "We run to Volterra."

"And then?"

"We ring the doorbell." He laughed loudly which caused people to stop and stare. "When we get there, we go through the entrance, announce ourselves and then go to the meeting room."

I nodded. "I guess there's no need to try and sneak in. We should handle this out in the open; they're expecting us, after all."

"Exactly."

We ran then. The sun was sinking lower in the sky, but I was feeling so much better being closer to Bella even though things weren't looking good for us.

I let my thoughts drift to happier times, to the week before I had to leave for Volterra to attend the ball, back when I didn't know about the Challenge starting and when our biggest concern was Alice and Jasper's wedding.

_She was sitting on the stool at the kitchen island. I had just taken a shower and heard Bella talking to Alice on the phone. I couldn't hear Alice's voice well because of the water and distance from the phone, but judging by Bella's tone, it wasn't a pleasant conversation. _

_"What's happening?" I asked as I walked behind her. _

_Bella groaned. "Alice is worried that Jasper's family won't come to the wedding because they all live in Texas, so she called to vent, and now I feel as if I should volunteer to road trip them up here."_

_I laughed and wrapped my arms around her waist. "Well, I could always make a couple of trips. Do you think they'd want to piggy back with me?"_

_Bella let her head hit the countertop and sighed. "You're not helping."_

_"I'm sorry." I pulled her back up and kissed her temple. "What should we do?"_

_"Not too sure. I guess just let her work it out. It's not like we can pay for them to fly here or make you go pick them up." She sounded tired and started to get up. _

_"Let me make you dinner," I said softly._

_Bella smiled and kissed me. "Thank you."_

_I started heated up some soup and Bella asked, "Would you mind if we had a small wedding?"_

_I stopped and turned. "Not at all. I just want to marry to you."_

_"It's not like we know a lot of people, anyway. Maybe just our friends and whoever you'd like to be there." She bit her lip, waiting for my answer._

_"I think I'd like Carlisle and Esme to be present. There might be one other, but I'd have to track him down."_

_After I poured her soup into a bowl and placed it in front of her, she said, "If my mom were here, it would be a huge wedding. Lots of people we'd never met and tons of food even though we won't eat."_

_I shook my head. "I don't think your mom would have been throwing us a huge wedding."_

_"She would have. My dad might have been hesitant to accept you, but my mom would have been pushing me back out the door when she saw you sitting on the porch. She was all about adventure and romance." Her smile was so big and she looked truly happy. "She would have told me that we would have an amazing life together and she would have been the reason my dad came around to you."_

_I hugged Bella tightly and kissed her again. _

_"So, a small wedding?"_

_She nodded. "Yeah. Small, intimate, with dancing afterward."_

Then it was definite, we'd get married and spend an eternity together. Now, I wondered if we'd ever get to have a wedding.

"Do you remember your wedding, Vladimir?" I asked casually.

He snorted and glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "Yes. It's hazy in parts but yes."

Several minutes of silence passed, and I realized he wasn't going to elaborate. "Well, how was it?"

Vladimir stopped running and turned to me. "In my time, weddings were grand events with days of celebrating and feasts. The entire town joined in with the family for the festivities, and the bride and groom were treated like royalty."

"Wow. So it was really great then?" I tried to imagine Vladimir being the center of a celebration like that.

"No," Vladimir whispered. "She deserved it, yes, but no. Circumstances surrounding our relationship did not merit a traditional wedding." He shrugged. "It was a long time ago."

I let the subject drop because the look on Vladimir's face told me he wouldn't answer anything else.

We started running again and as we closed in on Volterra, Vladimir shook his head and sighed. "I think we'll need to go through the front entrance and speak with Gianna. The way Jane spoke, it seemed like an appointment."

"That's right. If we went through the tunnels, even though it's how we normally enter, they wouldn't feel like I'm taking this seriously enough." The more that I thought about it, the more I knew it was the right thing to do.

"Well, let's go then," he spoke and walked through the gate to the city.

"Do you think I can talk Aro down?" I asked, glancing cautiously around us.

"Hard to say. He could have had to time to calm down and realize how irrational he was, or he could have used that time to get madder. I guess it all depends, but judging by his past actions, I'm going to say angrier."

"That's promising." I huffed and reached for the oak doors that led to the general waiting area for Volturi guests. I often wondered why they didn't have more distance between the outside and the main rooms of the castle, but then shrugged it off because, honestly, who would try and take over the Volturi?

No one.

"Hello, welcome to Volterra. May I help you?" Gianna was a pretty human. I pitied her greatly because when the time came, she would be led into the great room and slaughtered just like the other humans paraded through here for meal times.

"I'm Edward Masen. I'm here to see Aro," I spoke clearly and with confidence.

She paled slightly and nodded. "Just a moment, Mr. Masen." Gianna picked up the phone on her desk and spoke quietly, "He is here, your Highness."

"How many are with him?" Aro's voice spoke with coldness. Apparently, he was angrier.

"Just one, sir."

"One?" Aro's voice rose. "Who did he bring?"

"He didn't bring me, Aro. I came on my own. No one _brings_ me anywhere," Vladimir spoke loud enough for Aro to hear him through the phone.

"Ugghh. Vladimir." He sounded disgusted. I had never heard Aro groan before, ever. "Send them in."

The good news was, Aro sounded less upset since Vladimir spoke, so I took this as a positive sign. When we were almost to the door Vladimir whispered, "Good luck, Edward."

The doors swung open without touching them, and I knew this meant that the Guard was there as well as the brothers.

_Make a show of it._

My eyes immediately found Bella. I could tell that she was under Alec's control, but I still ran to her, leaving Vladimir leaning against the back wall. As soon as I was within arms' reach, Alec released his hold, and Bella fell forward into my grasp.

We were both on our knees, smiling at each other while I let my hands trace her arms. We were in our own little world for a few seconds.

"Are you all right? Have they touched you?" I asked as I buried my face in her hair.

"I'm fine. I've managed to get into a couple of fights, but looking back, I was asking for it." She laughed lightly, and I pulled back.

"What?"

I must have looked enraged because she stroked my cheek as she spoke softly, "I might have called Tanya a whore." I felt my jaw drop. "Also, Aro said something rude about you, and I might have tried to attack him, so he called Jane on me."

"Jane?" What little fury had diminished over the fight with Tanya returned full force. I stood up, pulling Bella with me. "You allowed Jane to attack my mate?" I looked directly at Aro as I spoke.

He looked bored as he took in our clasped hands, Bella standing a bit behind me. I felt her tighten her hold on my hand, and it finally occurred to me that Bella was hiding. She was scared and I was her protector. She might have been stronger, but she was still new, and this whole situation was too much for any newborn to endure. I was finally filling my role as her mate by calling out the vampire that had approved her torture.

"I didn't allow it," he said sweetly. "I ordered it." His voice turned cold. "Don't tempt me, Edward. I'm already at the end of my rope with you."

I straightened to my full height and pulled Bella behind me a bit more. "I think that we should discuss the terms of this meeting. I understand that I've broken rules, but they were done with the best intentions and as you can see, Bella is a vampire now. Everything has been made right."

Aro stood from his chair and walked to stand a few feet from us. "You have humiliated the Volturi and chosen a human over a perfectly suitable vampire, selected just for you. In addition, you lived with a human as mates for years when you knew it was not acceptable. If you valued your mate's life or your own, you should have changed her when you met her.

"For decades you have led us to believe that a marriage to Tanya was a foregone conclusion. You've been her date to galas as current as three weeks ago. This doesn't look good for your image. It also reflects badly on the Volturi and me personally because we have been publicizing this union. What will the world think when they find out that we have been deceived by a _tracker_?"

I had never realized how tall Aro really was. As I looked up at him, I could see the betrayal in his eyes and sighed.

"I never intended for this to be seen as a move against you, Aro."

He laughed. "You've never called me Aro before, Edward. Why now? Your mate speaks so freely so I think you should be able to as well?"

"Bella is young and doesn't know how to address you, sir. As for my own indiscretion, I apologize." I kept eye contact, and I could tell he was less than impressed by my calm demeanor. He wanted me scared, he wanted me to beg. I wouldn't show him either of those things until I felt I had no option left.

"Isabella?" He called her out. I felt her peek from behind my arm and Aro smiled. "Did you know the entire time you were living with Edward that he came to Italy to play pretend fiancé to another woman? In fact, for the last twenty or so years that has been his main reason for visiting us. Why would he go through all that trouble when he could have just changed you or told us he had found his true mate?"

Bella's grip tightened on me and she turned her face into my shoulder. I prayed she knew that I had never given any consideration to a marriage with Tanya, even before I had met her. We had covered that when she was human, but those memories might have been marred still.

"Did he give her a ring?" she asked softly.

Aro quirked an eyebrow. "No."

I felt her smile against my arm. "He gave me a ring."

"A ring? Do you really think it's that simple? A ring shows his loyalties?" Aro mocked.

Bella didn't step from my side, but that time she met his eyes as she spoke, "No, it's not the ring that shows his loyalty, it's the fact that he was considerate enough to go and look for one for me. He found the perfect ring; that took time and thought. He put those into the choice to marry me. All he did for Tanya was make sure he was there for a photo op. You've said that much yourself. Edward has lived with me for years, cared for me when I was sick, cooked for me, taken vacations with me, and many, many more intimate things that he _never_ did with Tanya. I don't doubt Edward's loyalties to me, but it's not because I have a ring, it's because of his actions."

Her speech made me smile, and I desperately wanted to hug her and tell her that I loved her, but the next words that were spoken in the room broke our moment.

"It's his actions that have sentenced you to death, too. What do you think of them now, Isabella?" Aro's face was a cold mask as he stared at her.

Bella leaned up and kissed my cheek, letting her nose trace my jaw before she said, "Then I'll be happy to die if his love is the reason for your anger. There are worse things to die for." She met his eyes again with her last words.

"Don't speak as if you know the pain I can inflict, child. Jane's talent is just a taste of the agony I can have you endure."

I shuffled to shield Bella again and she moved behind me at the mention of Jane, all courage gone. "Sir, I would appreciate it greatly if we could try and work something out. There must be a way to avoid this. I don't want Bella to die for my mistakes."

Aro smirked and walked back to his throne.

He sat down and for several minutes he didn't speak. Finally Caius stood and spoke, "I honestly don't care who he's with, brother. I never thought it was worth our time anyway. It's not as if Edward is royalty. He is simply what Tanya couldn't have and you fueled her games." Aro rolled his eyes as if Caius had said that a lot in the last few days. "I'm going to my quarters. I trust you'll have this dealt with in the next hundred years?"

"Leave, Caius," Aro bit out. "You're not needed here."

"Obviously." Caius walked out without another word uttered between them.

Aro looked at me and finally issued his punishment. "Edward, to keep your life and your mate's life, you must do the following: marry Tanya and stay in this union for one hundred years, after which, you may claim Isabella again. I don't care if you consummate the marriage with Tanya or not, just play house and let the vampire world have an extravagant wedding for the public to enjoy. However, before you ask, for these years, you may not see Isabella at all. It's your penance for making the Volturi look like fools. Also, it makes me overjoyed to know that you will have been bound in marriage to another before you actually get to wed Isabella. I enjoy little side perks like that."

I closed my eyes and felt Bella lean against my back.

I could not live a hundred years without her. I would not marry another woman.

_I couldn't agree._

"I'm sorry, sir, but your offer isn't agreeable." My voice was hollow to my own ears.

Bella moved around me quickly. "No. That's fine." She turned to me. "Edward, that's nothing compared to what we have together. We can do this. I need you to do this." She whispered so low I barely heard her, "I'm not strong enough now."

I pushed some hair off her shoulder, not knowing the meaning of her words, and said, "I won't give you up for this. We did nothing wrong. I've fixed it." My voice was pleading with her to understand.

"What's your decision, Edward?" Aro was perched on the edge of his chair.

I looked down at Bella again.

She needed me to be strong for her, but a century was a long time to be without a mate. I had lived it before and didn't even know I would have one. It was misery then, but to _know_ my mate was somewhere, to _know_ how she felt and tasted and how I needed her? That time would be unbearable. It would pass by slowly and be painful; add that I'd have to marry Tanya and set up house with her, and that made it sickening as well.

"I love you; you've given me happiness that I've never known could exist, sweet girl. To be away from you is too painful." I kissed her softly. "This time is special for us. You're a newborn and I'm the one who's supposed to show you this life, I can't abide another vampire taking that job from me. You're my mate and we have plans, Bella. I can't simply put those on hold for decades because of this supposed infraction of the law. I am not the first vampire to live this way and I won't be the last. This is about the Volturi's embarrassment, not because I didn't change you right away.

"I will not be punished for their desires not coming to fruition." I looked up at Aro and wrapped my arms around Bella. Of course he had heard everything I said, I didn't care, I needed to explain to Bella before I gave him the answer he wanted. He needed to know that I would always put my mate first, even when answering his questions.

"Your answer is?" He waved his hand in front of him.

"I cannot accept your offer." My voice full of conviction.

Aro smiled. "Do you have any requests?" He shook his head and laughed lightly. "I might not take them into consideration even if you do."

Bella's arms tightened around my waist, but she turned her head and stared intently at Aro. Her features clouded with disgust.

"I don't want the vampires that I was traveling with harmed in any way," I said, glancing behind me at Vladimir, still standing against the wall, his face drawn.

This time Aro really laughed and clapped a couple of times before saying, "I don't care about them, Edward. Stefan and Vladimir are old acquaintances and while they do tend to annoy me, I enjoy their company. The other two, I can't be bothered enough to find out their home bases. William and Garrett are random trackers that appease our need for fun when a Challenge comes up.

"More than that, Edward, none of them helped you. Garrett was taken from you in San Francisco. William and Stefan aren't here now, and Vladimir is offering no voice." He paused and looked at Bella. "Perhaps the most telling sign that they didn't help you is that you're standing in front of me, holding the mate that my Guard took from you.

"They ran with you, Edward. They were no help." Aro smirked at Vladimir. "You're latest endeavor has failed. What will you do now?"

"I haven't decided yet. I was thinking pottery." His voice was bored as he spoke.

"Follow your heart." Aro waved him off and turned back to me. "So Edward, that's your request? You don't want to plead for the life of Isabella?"

I looked down at Bella who seemed to be in a trance, staring straight at Aro. Her mind was probably jumbled and she might have gone off in her thoughts briefly. Still, I knew that we would be here together until the end. Neither of us would want to be without the other.

"No," I answered. "Her life is one with mine."

Aro rolled his eyes. "So sentimental. Any last words before we begin then? Want to call out for mercy or for just one last hour with your beloved?"

I leaned down and took a deep breath, filling my lungs with Bella's scent, hoping to keep it with me. I heard Bella mumbling, but couldn't make out the words.

"Last words?" I asked.

"Yes, you're familiar with the concept?" His voice was full of energy. I had no idea he took that much pleasure in the kill.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Well?" He sounded impatient.

I made eye contact one last time and smirked. "Fuck you."

I never heard his response because my body fell, crushing under the pain that Jane was sending me in waves.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Next update will be Tuesday and teasers will be sent for reviews :)

I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter! I must say, I'm nervous about the response.

If you're interested:

I donated a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information on how to donate and donations will be accepted until March 31st!

http:/foxyfics(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

Also, I donated an E/B outtake to Fandom Gives Back: Austism. You can go here for all that information:

http:/www(dot)thefandomgivesback(dot)blogspot(dot)com/


	27. Chapter 27

Ch. 27: Sell It

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight.

Ladysharkey1 and Jen328 are my betas, pre-readers, and all around support system. ILY!

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"I cannot accept your offer."

As soon as Edward spoke, my mind started moving so quickly that I had to stop breathing for just a minute to catch up.

It was then that I turned to Aro and tried as hard as I could to see the bonds that merged to him. I say merged to him because Aro had no loyalties to anyone in this room, not even Marcus. The Guard's bonds to him ranged from darkest gray to almost see-through pale. I knew from the plane ride over that the lighter the bond, the easier to move, so I started with that one and concentrated harder than I ever had before at moving it to me.

I could hear Edward speaking to Aro, but I didn't really hear the words. My future was locked on a pale gray rope that held loosely to an ancient vampire.

In seconds, I had the bond of the least loyal Guard member attached to me. It felt solid, so I moved on to another one.

Vladimir's voice broke through my concentration, and I remembered his advice on how to use my "mental hands" to grab and hold on. I took a deep breath and pulled another bond to me.

I was working on a third bond when Edward fell to the ground screaming in agony. I stepped back and gasped, barely managing to keep the bonds I'd already moved on me.

"Edward!" I screamed and fell to the ground beside him; the bonds that I had attached to myself fell away in my panic.

He didn't respond, and I knew that he wouldn't be opening his eyes anytime soon. Jane's power was all consuming. I looked up; Aro was staring down at me with rapt fascination, and I truly began to feel frightened.

"Help him, child," Vladimir whispered across the room.

I turned and stared at him through watery eyes, seeing him nod before I faced Aro. I stood up with clenched fists and glared at the vampire that was the cause of all our torment and pain.

"Go on, _help him_, child." Aro laughed softly.

Adrenaline, if vampires had that sort of thing, seemed to push me forward, and I used my talent to grab as many of the weaker bonds as I could, pulling several off in one turn and sealing them to me.

"Have I caused you too much distress? You seem to be catatonic." Aro smiled. "This will be fun."

I felt rage build up in me, and I grabbed again at the bonds surrounding Aro, pulling more and more to me, until only one remained.

Edward groaned and tried to curl in on himself as I attempted to remove Jane's loyalty to Aro. She was tough and solid, and Aro's final taunt made me lose my focus. "This is what happens when you cross me, Isabella. It's a shame how careless your mate was... I think you would make a lovely addition to the Guard though. So beautiful."

I lost several of the weaker bonds when I allowed myself to wonder what he would have in store for me. Was he that type of ruler? He never seemed that way. I pulled myself away from being sidetracked, grabbed the bonds back to me and focused back on Jane.

Finally, I felt the bond solidify, and I shrieked, "Stop, Jane!"

Edward stopped writhing on the floor, and Aro turned and yelled, "Did I tell you to stop?"

"Jane, take care of Aro, please." I tried to speak confidently, but I could still hear my voice shaking.

"What?" Aro gasped right before he was hit with the full force of Jane's talent.

I stood and watched him squirm around, yelling and cursing, while the rest of his Guard looked on. None of them made an attempt to attack me, but I checked the bonds anyway to make sure they were secure. I had no idea how long I could really hold them

"Bella? What are you doing?" Edward said, awe in his voice.

I looked down and smiled. "I'm going to get us out of here." I looked to Aro and said, "Alec, when I tell you, I want you to use your talent and move him to his throne where you will allow him to sit, and then I want you to paralyze him from the legs down only. Can you do that?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Just the legs?"

"Yes. I want him to be able to talk and he'll need air in his lungs for that."

Alec nodded and moved to Aro's side.

"Jane, you can stop now." She glanced my way and shrugged, letting Aro fall limp. "Alec." He did exactly as I asked and by the time Aro was coherent enough to form words, he was trapped again.

"What have you done?" He bit out.

I looked into his eyes and tried to figure him out. He had a mate, he had a blood sibling, and whatever Marcus was too him, he had a maker, but I assumed that he'd just killed him or something. He didn't seem one to hold anything sacred.

I sighed, wondering what could have caused this vampire to become that evil shell. My mind couldn't wrap around the fact that he had a mate, but seemed to possess no redeeming qualities that would make someone want to love him.

_Who is this woman?_

"What is Marcus to you? He's not your real brother, but you call him that," I said softly, not moving from my spot.

Realization spread across Aro's features and he spoke with indifference, "He was married to my sister."

I took in Marcus' bonds and whimpered. "She's dead."

"Bella?" I felt Edward pulling on my arm. I turned to him and he touched my cheek. "What did you do?"

"Yes, child, what have you done to my Guard?"

I smiled at Edward and spoke, "They're mine now. For as long as I want." I lied, hoping that Aro believed me. The truth was the bonds were hard to hold and I couldn't concentrate like I needed to.

"You're amazing," he spoke quietly.

I licked my lips before turning and walking toward Aro. I stopped a couple of feet in front of him and said, "Jane's talent hurts, doesn't it? Alec's talent is rather unsettling, too. You can see, hear, smell, but your legs just won't go. Imagine being like that for close to twelve hours, Aro."

"What do you want, Isabella? My Guard?"

"No. I just want to go home. I need you to listen to me and understand something Aro. I've never wanted power, and this talent that I have is not something I'm excited about. I can see things that I have no interest in knowing. Vampires that have lost mates, friends who aren't really friends, Guard members whose loyalty to you is so thin that it's practically transparent." His eyes widen slightly. "I have no desire to be anywhere near you or control any part of this world, so let's move on from that right now. Do not believe for one second I want to take your place."

"Well, why would you come in here and hijack my Guard?" His voice turned cold again.

I grasped Edward's hand. "Because you threatened my life and Edward's. If you'll remember, I didn't come here; I was dragged halfway around the world by _your_ Guard." My anger was rising again, at what he had done and how he had almost cost me so much. I knew that I needed to calm down or else I would lose control of the bonds and all would be lost.

Aro remained silent as Edward leaned against me. "Sweet girl, are you all right?"

"No. I can't concentrate and talk to him."

Edward traced my cheek and smiled. "You hold tight and I'll figure this out. Just concentrate, Bella. I'll make it better."

I let out a shaky breath. "Okay. I'm going to block everything out and just hold them."

"You take care of that and I'll do the rest." He kissed my hair. "I love you."

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EPOV

I could see she was fraying around the edges.

Her voice was much softer and shook every few words. Aro just stared, and I knew he was waiting for her to crack so that he could gain back control.

That was when I stepped up. Granted, my role would be talking Aro out this whole punishment scenario while Bella actually kept the Guard at bay, but I needed to work as quickly as I could to change his mind, so Bella wouldn't have to hurt for long.

"You've never really had a way with words, Edward. You won't change my mind." Aro turned his head toward the large stained glass windows. "She'll crack eventually."

I walked toward him. "Maybe. Maybe she'll have them destroy you before she loses control. I know Bella - she'll protect us, she'll have you turned to ash before you can do it to us. Is it worth the risk?"

He looked at me with cold eyes and his lips were pulled into a patronizing grin. "She's a newborn, Edward. She doesn't have the concentration to keep this up nor does she have the ability to order a death before hand." He paused for a moment. "She'll lose those most loyal to me first. Of this, I'm sure. I'll have my most lethal weapons put her down, and she'll be on fire before she knows what has happened."

I swallowed hard, knowing how truthful his words were.

"You're mostly upset about your reputation, correct? How I embarrassed you?"

Aro tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, brooding. "I don't care that you chose her for a mate. Truly, you mean very little to me, Edward."

It wasn't a 'no', so I knew I had been on the right track with my questions. I only had one shot to make this case, to prove to him that this would be the best way for things to end. I glanced at Bella and saw that she had sunk to her knees and was cradling her head in her hands.

_Time was running out._

"If I can salvage your image, the image of The Volturi, will you let us go?"

I knew that Aro didn't care about me before he had even said it. He had known Tanya for hundreds of years, and she had always managed to stay in his good graces. She was almost like the daughter that he'd never have.

All I was in this scheme was the new toy that Tanya wanted, and Aro was going to make sure she got me. If she didn't get me, then he'd better get something just as good out of the deal, something that would replace that dream of a royal wedding.

Aro tilted his head a little to the side. "I guess that depends on how good your pitch is, doesn't it?"

I let out a deep sigh and turned around to see Vladimir standing in the same spot, watching me intently, but not saying anything. He was there as a show of support, but he wouldn't speak out for me. This was up to me. Just like it always had been.

"I can give you the most romantic vampire/human love story that the world has heard. A tracker in the Challenge chases down the target only to realize that she is his mate. He fights off the other contenders to get her safely to the only Approver in North America and changes her, bringing her back to the Volturi and presenting her as his true mate. This is verified by the only talented vampire who can identify bonds. We could show the world how considerate you are in letting us be together.

"I'll apologize to Tanya for the abrupt nature of our break-up and give whatever interviews and photo-ops you'd like with Bella. I will tell the world that Aro Volturi, by asking me to be a contender, effectively changed my life and helped me find my mate. I will make you a saint to all the romantics in this world, if you just let us walk away. Together.

I took an unneeded, steadying breath.

"We don't want anything from you. Bella doesn't even want the gift she has. No one will ever know about it." I ended my speech and hoped that he would go with it.

Aro looked deep in thought. It was a different story than I'm sure he was expecting, but honestly, it was the best I could manage spur of the moment.

"I've been considered an unfeeling ruler for a very long time," he mused.

"We can help you," I said quickly.

Aro hummed noncommittally. Even he knew that an image change was needed. He'd always been so distant and cold to everyone. If he accepted this offer then he was showing that he could be merciful.

"Everyone will think you're such a kind ruler." I offered a bit more incentive.

"What about Tanya?" Aro asked, smirking slightly. "She's going to be devastated by this, publicly of course."

"Tanya can be the victim if she'd like. She can play up the sympathies of everyone by saying she thought I was the one. Surely there is another vampire she'd like to pursue who will fall in line with her requests." We both knew that 'devastated' would not be the word to described Tanya when she found out.

'Furious', maybe. 'Devastated', hardly.

"Actually, she's quite interested in the English tracker, Alistair." He slowly tapped his fingers on the arm of his throne.

I swallowed and said, "That's perfect. She can play up the hurt feelings card and then claim that Alistair is her mate, thus ensuring to everyone that we are both happy. Hell, claim that you introduced them to further solidify the image that you'll create with the story about me and Bella."

Aro returned to silence, still tapping his fingers, not really appearing interested in anything that was happening. Occasionally, he stole a look at Bella, watching as she lost more control. Finally he turned back to me. "What of the people in her hometown? They'll know this is a lie."

I shook my head as soon as he spoke. "None of them pay attention to vampire news – none of them care. They don't even know I was relatively famous in our world."

He nodded. "And your allies - they will not share this?" He waved between Bella and the Guard, obviously meaning her talent.

"No. They'll never speak a word." I looked around us. The Guard were suspiciously silent. "What about those here who know the truth."

This time Aro snorted. "My Guard will never speak against me." He tilted his head toward Bella who was biting her lip hard. "Can you guarantee that she will not come back here looking for my throne?"

I rolled my eyes before I noticed just how serious Aro's stare had been. It never occurred to me before, but he really saw her as a threat. I told him the truth, hoping it would calm him. "All we want is to be as far away from here as possible. We just want to go home."

Aro sighed. "I will require her talent, you realize this?"

My eyes snapped to Bella. "What?" I gasped. "No. Bella can't stay here. We must go home." There was no way I was leaving Bella in Volterra.

He flicked his hand and shook his head. "Honestly, Edward, you do not pay attention. Why would I want her here all the time?" He looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "I mean that I will treat her as if she were a contracted Guard member. If I need her talent, then she must come to assist. You can travel with her if you must. Surely you know a talent like hers cannot be wasted."

"Once every ten years," I bargained.

Aro shook his head. "Five."

I stopped and thought for moment before asking, "If we do this, then it's only for short trips, yes?"

"Of course, a week, two at most. I don't want her living in Volterra, Edward. She's a threat." He gave me that look again, the one that seemed to ask if I was stupid.

"She's not," I replied softly.

He cocked an eyebrow and said, "Maybe not right now, but one day she might be." Aro smiled. "Looks like she losing it." He rubbed his hands together slowly, his grin turning evil.

Bella's whimpers turned to actual words, "No, no, no!"

"Alec, release me," Aro spoke as he looked at his Guard member.

"Sir." Alec bowed and Aro stood up.

He walked down the steps and kneeled beside Bella. I fought myself to stay standing.

"Child?" He placed a finger under chin and tilted her head up. When Bella looked into his eyes, he continued, "I grant you and your mate leave of me." Bella placed a hand over her mouth. "If you try that again in my presence, I will destroy you both, understand?" His voice was ice, and she nodded. "I enjoy a little friendly rivalry. As you can see, I've let Vladimir live for a very long time. However, he knows what lines not to cross, so take his lead and do as I say when I say it and you'll live a long life. Cross me again, and I will end you.

"Do you understand me? I need your words, Isabella."

"I understand, Sir." She breathed shakily.

"You will be called to assist me for one to two weeks every five years. I will be requiring you to use your power since it appears much stronger than Chelsea's. Am I correct, Chelsea?" Aro looked over his shoulder at her.

"Yes, your Highness. She possesses a greater talent than I have. Her bonds are completely solid when she's at her strongest, and she can sense the depth of bonds where I only know they are there."

Aro looked back at Bella and for a moment I thought I saw a hint of pride flash in his eyes. It disappeared just as quickly, though. "You have an amazing talent, quite dangerous. I will not hesitate if I feel threatened, so you know what that means you must do?" His finger was still under her chin, and he brought his thumb up to grip it tightly. Bella shook her head. "Don't make me feel threatened." His voice was deadly, and Bella flinched back.

That was when I knelt beside her, bringing her close to me.

"Leave me now." I picked Bella up and started to turn when he spoke again. "I expect you back here in a month's time. We'll need the world to see what a beautiful mate you've managed to snag."

I was halfway to the door when Aro laughed lightly. It was tinged with a fierceness I hoped that I never had to hear again. "Oh, and Edward… I know I might not need to say it, but I'll be keeping an eye on you, and you know I can without you even knowing someone is there."

"Yes, your Highness," I whispered.

Vladimir opened the door and followed us out. I managed to keep a human pace all the way to the city gate, never saying a single word. Bella clung to my shirt, her body tense next to mine. She wasn't even breathing.

On the dirt road, leading away from Volterra, I ran.

I never looked behind me or listened closely to my surroundings. All I knew was that I need to leave Italy.

When we reached Rome, I stood Bella up and pushed her hair out of her face.

"Are you all right, sweet girl? You're really scaring me."

She nodded before breaking down, sobbing into my arms. I couldn't resist anymore. Both of us fell to the ground, holding each other while we let ourselves feel the relief of what we'd just accomplished.

"I lost the hold, and I thought he was going to…" she whispered.

"I know. I did something right, though, for once."

"I heard. We're the new, ultimate romantic couple in the world." She tried to laugh, but I could tell she was still recovering. "He's going to watch us. We'll have to be so careful, Edward."

"No, we won't. There's nothing we can do to provoke him besides assembling vampires to make it seem like we're building an army against him and honestly, that's a crazy notion, anyway. We'll be fine. We just need to play our parts and then live in Forks, out of the limelight."

Bella kissed me, tangling her hands in my hair. "I missed you." Her voice was against my lips.

"I miss you, too."

She massaged her throat. "I'm so thirsty."

My arms encircled her. "I won't let you hurt anyone."

The next thing Bella did was laugh, loudly. "Edward, I don't like humans."

"What?" I asked, perplexed by her statement.

"Aro tried to make me drink a human. She smelled good, but not like food. I guess if I was a human, I'd say she smelled like flowers. You know, pleasant, but you don't want to eat them." She bit her lip. "I like animals. I think it might have something to do with you drinking from them and then changing me."

I smiled. "I saved you from the obligatory newborn time away from humans! We just need to work on your strength now."

We were quiet for a moment, and Vladimir chose that time to speak. "I'll be leaving you here. It was an interesting adventure. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around."

He turned to walk away, but Bella stood up and called his name. He turned just in time for Bella to hug him. "Thank you. Stay in touch. You'll need to be there at the wedding."

Vladimir pulled away. "I wouldn't miss it." With that he turned and ran north, leaving Bella and me to walk the rest of the way to the airport.

"So does this mean things are going to go back to normal? Will you always stay in Forks, no more running to Italy for photo ops?" Bella smiled and grabbed my hand.

"Any more photo ops are strictly with you, sweet girl."

The tension in her shoulders lessened.

"I'm so proud of you, Bella. You saved us." I wrapped my arms around her and stopped walking, enjoying the contentment of the moment.

"I held them off. You talked him into the new story." She played with the hair at my neck.

"So, team effort then?" I kissed her cheek.

"Yeah. We've always worked better together anyway."

We continued on our way to the airport, lost in our own thoughts, ready to face whatever lay ahead of us.

Shocked friends.

Meshing into Forks society.

A wedding.

Forever.

I tightened my hold on her hand, and Bella smiled at me before entering the sliding glass doors of the airport.

"Should we break the news over the phone or in person?" she asked. I knew she meant her friends.

"Whichever you decide, I'll help you with whatever you need." I nodded. "I'll even make desert."

Bella's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Will there icing involved?"

"Oh, definitely." I smirked and led her to the counter. "Maybe not for them, but I think you might like it." I leaned in and grazed her ear with my lips. "Dissolves right on the tongue and so sweet."

Bella gasped. "Are we talking about icing still?"

I said, "Maybe." And turned to the attendant to buy our tickets back home.

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Thanks for reading! Next update will be Friday and teasers will be sent for reviews :)

I'd love to hear what you think about this chapter!

I'm donated a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information on how to donate and donations will be accepted until March 31st!

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Also, I donated an E/B outtake to Fandom Gives Back: Austism. You can go here for all that information:

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	28. Chapter 28

Ch. 28: Relief

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 who beta, pre-read, and just make me day.

Sorry if I didn't answer your review. FFn has been fail this past week so I might not have gotten it. Thank you for reviewing though!

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She gently turned the doorknob and pushed open the back door of our house.

"It's so good to be home." She sighed and made her way through the kitchen. "I guess this is going to be just for decoration now." Her laugh was infectious and I finally felt relief for the first time since we'd left Italy.

"I don't know, Bella. We can have dinner parties." I shrugged and walked into the living room.

"Yeah. Let's see if we still have friends first." She sat down on the couch next to me, leaning her head against my shoulder.

"Do you want to call them?" I asked softly.

Bella hummed noncommittally; I knew that I needed to give her some time to think and prepare herself for meeting them. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and played with the ends of her hair.

We had been through so much, and I was struck with a sudden nostalgia - the last time we were sitting here together, she had been human, and I had been spending my last few hours with her before I left for the Challenge.

Bella was different now, obviously, but the comfort and ease that had always been between us was still there. We were still in love, and I could finally breathe, knowing that the toughest part of things was behind us. There would be traveling and pictures and balls in Volterra, but I would have Bella at my side and that made things worth it.

She nuzzled my neck and kissed me softly, still not speaking. I took this time to pull the cell phone from my pocket. "I need to call Carlisle and let him know what happened. I'm sure William and Stefan told them we were caught."

She nodded but didn't speak, and I punched in Carlisle's number.

"Edward? Is that you?" he asked in a panicked tone.

"Yes. We're all right. We're in Forks." I spoke quickly so he wouldn't become more frightened.

"Thank God. What happened?"

I went through the story with him, leaving out Bella's talent because no one could know about it. I could hear Esme with him, gasping at the appropriate places and probably squeezing his hand.

"That's amazing, Edward," he said quietly. "Is she all right?"

I looked at Bella, and she smiled at me. "She'll be okay. We just need to have some quiet time before we head back to Italy."

He laughed. "I can understand that. Esme and I went to the cabin after William stopped by…"

"We're so sorry, Carlisle. It was a complete accident," I said sincerely. Bella's fingers inched around my neck and played over my scar, causing me to shiver.

"It's not a problem. We retrieved your luggage, and we're actually leaving for San Francisco tomorrow, so maybe we can drop it by since we'll be on the same coast?"

"That would be great. We'd love to see you, too."

"My pictures," Bella whispered against my shoulder. I tangled my hand in her hair, feeling electrified with her closeness.

"We left some pictures in the condo there. Would you get them for us, as well?" I asked while Bella started running a hand along the inside of my thigh.

"We'd be happy to, Edward. Where are they?" Carlisle sounded like he was zipping a bag.

Bella's finger traced over my zipper, and I grabbed it quickly. "They're in the master bedroom closet, near the back. Some of them are more private in nature, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't look at them."

She pulled her hand away and went back to tracing the inseam of my jeans. My breathing had picked up, and I hardened at her nearness.

"We won't look, Edward." He paused, clearing his throat. "It was nice to hear from you. We'll call tomorrow when we get to San Francisco and set up a time to visit, okay?"

Bella knelt between my knees, showing me her thumbnail before smirking and using it to tear away the material of my jeans.

"Uh huh." I took the phone away from my ear. "Bye, Carlisle." I pressed the end button and picked up my hips, allowing Bella to pull away the rest of the material. "What are you doing?" I asked breathlessly.

She ran her tongue along the underside of my erection, kissing the tip, and then pulled back. "Do you want me to stop?"

Her hand wrapped on the base of my cock, stroking slowly upward. "Ummm, no. Definitely don't stop, sweet girl." I let my head fall back against the couch, one hand in her hair, not guiding just feeling, as she took me in her mouth.

Her tongue swirled around me, and I relaxed completely. For several minutes, I just enjoyed the feel of her and the calm that had settled over me. When she sat back, releasing me, I tilted my head forward, peering at her through heavy lids.

"Take me upstairs?" she asked, licking her bottom lip.

I nodded, toeing off my boots. I gripped the hem of her shirt, dragging it over her head as I stood. Her lips met mine as I pulled her against me. "I love you."

Bella whispered against my lips, but it was too low, barely words. Still, her breath told me what she was trying to say.

We made it to our bedroom, and I couldn't help but remember that the last time I was here, I had been devastated with the thought that Bella might be killed and that I had failed her. As if reading my mind, she said, "It's nice to have you back in this room. I don't like the last memories I have of it."

I didn't respond, just felt relieved that I had her near me, safe and mine. The afternoon seemed to pass slowly; we stayed tangled together, breathless and always wanting more. I needed her close, but I couldn't get close enough.

"I want to be a part of you," I panted against her neck as she pulled her leg up and hooked it over my hip.

"You are." Her voice was muffled against my shoulder and she placed hot, openmouthed kisses against the muscle there.

"I am?" I whispered. I shook my head, not really knowing what I was trying to ask for.

She spoke again, giving me the answer I was looking for. "You made me like you. You took part of me inside you and then put some of you back into me."

I closed my eyes, and she brought my hand from her hip to her neck, allowing me to feel the grooves from my mark on her skin. I kissed her hard, thanked her, cherished her.

The afternoon passed, and we finally settled under the covers, watching the sky darken.

"Are you going to call Alice soon?" I cuddled against her, bringing her back flush to my chest.

"I'll call her in the morning and ask her to dinner with the rest of them. I don't think I'll tell them about me because if I don't that means they'll definitely come to dinner. Maybe the surprise will be taken well, you know?" She seemed so worried.

"If they don't respond well, then they'll leave and get over it." She sighed and I changed the subject. "When do you want to get married?"

"June." Her response was quick. "In San Francisco. I want to get married at twilight and have twinkling lights overhead so we can dance in the garden at night. It will be really pretty." She rolled toward me. "What do you think?"

I smiled. "I think it sounds wonderful. What will you wear?" I twirled a strand of her hair.

"White, of course." She giggled. "I want to have a simple, white dress. It has to be girly, though, classic. I've never really thought about a wedding dress before, but I know I want it to be pretty. I don't think I could handle just wearing a summer dress. I want it to be special for us."

"I think it will be. I'll wear a suit." Bella kissed my chest. "Should I get a tux?"

"No. Wear a black suit with a deep blue tie."

"Why blue?" I kissed her shoulder.

"Because I'll be wearing blue under the dress."

That ended that conversation, and the next time we surfaced from getting lost in each other, it was time for Bella to call Alice.

The phone call didn't last long. Alice agreed to call the others agreed to come to our house at seven that evening. Bella said that she'd cook everything and that they just needed to show up.

I got a call from Carlisle midmorning to let us know that they had arrived at the condo and found the photo album. They wouldn't be able to come to Forks until after the New Year, so we had plenty of time to prepare for their arrival. I knew the guest bedroom needed cleaning, not that they would actually be sleeping there. I laughed when Bella pointed that out to me when I mentioned buying new sheets.

The afternoon passed quickly and a couple of hours before our guests arrived, Bella and I went on a hunt to curb her thirst.

I had to admit that I was very happy that Bella didn't have a bloodlust toward humans, but knew that I needed to discuss it with Carlisle when he got here. It wasn't normal. When he changed Esme, she still had a craving for humans and needed to be taken away from the city. Carlisle wasn't devoted to the animal diet, though. He used it when he was at the cabin or away from a donation center, but it was never his main source for blood. Not like it had become mine for the last five years.

Soon, we were busying ourselves, finishing up the lasagna and salad before they all arrived.

"Just breathe, sweet girl." I smiled and kissed her hair. "They will love you."

Bella nodded and started setting the table. It wasn't too long before we heard the car pull up and the footsteps at the door. Bella ran her hands over her dress, straightening all the imaginary wrinkles out.

"Could you let them in? I'll be right behind you." She kissed my jaw and stepped back against the kitchen counter.

"Of course." I walked to the front door, getting there right as Alice started to knock.

I took in their appearance. They looked like always, hesitant to be here, but happy. They had missed Bella, I was sure. Emmett didn't make eye-contact and seemed unsure of what to say.

"Come in. Bella's just setting the table." I waved them in and as soon as the door shut, I heard Bella sigh as she started walking down the hall. I turned, and when I heard the twin gasps from Alice and Rose, I knew that they had seen her.

"Hi guys!" Bella smiled. "I'm really glad you could come."

I walked to her side and snaked my arm around her waist. They stared at us, unblinking, for what seemed like minutes, but in reality was seconds. Bella bit her lip anxiously and wrung her hands in front her.

"You're a vampire," Alice whispered.

Bella looked down at her feet and then back to her friends. "Yes. It's a complicated story, but it had to happen now. That's all we can really tell you."

Rose shook her head. "I can't believe you called us over here and didn't even tell us what we'd find."

She seemed angry with the omission, and honestly, I could understand that feeling. Still I felt the need to defend Bella. "She didn't think you'd come if you knew," I responded. "None of you seemed very keen on the idea last time it was mentioned, so this seemed like the best way."

Everyone was quiet, and then Emmett asked, "Is this because of me? Did I force this?"

Bella looked at him, confused, and I realized that I'd never told her about what he'd done. She looked at me and I said, "The Volturi sent someone here for information, Emmett spoke to them, not knowing what they were doing." Then just for her to hear, "It was during that trip that they took your scent, while I was in Volterra."

Rose, Alice, and Jasper didn't look surprised at his questions, which led me to believe that he had told them of his mistake. I felt my brow furrow and I said, "Emmett, this would have happened no matter what you said."

It wasn't a no, but I wasn't letting him get off without any blame.

"Well, let's eat." Jasper walked toward the kitchen. He patted my shoulder as he passed. I appreciated his unspoken support.

Everyone followed him, not speaking. In fact, dinner was relatively silent. Over and over, Bella asked how things had been while we were gone and was met with a one-word answer. Finally, she just gave up.

I gripped her hand under the table as she looked at her lap. The others ate dinner and never bothered to make eye contact with either of us. I was devastated for Bella and tried desperately to come up with something that might make things better between them and us.

When everyone started to leave, I pulled Bella to me and addressed the group, "We'd love to have you back, but we'll let that be on your terms. I hope you don't cut off contact with us."

My comment was met with nods and then shuffling as they all moved out the door. When their car faded into the night, Bella collapsed against me. She wasn't crying, just worn down. "Well, I guess it's better than yelling," I offered.

She scoffed. "I think I'd prefer to be yelled at than just tolerated."

I nodded and led her to the couch. "Carlisle and Esme will be here in January. We can go to dinner with them," I joked.

"Oh yes, that sounds lovely." She pretended to wave over a waiter. "I'll have the AB negative, please."

"That won't do!" I scoffed. "We'll be heading to the woods and catching our own meal, like the men from Vladimir's time did," I added, causing her to laugh. "They'll come around, Bella. It's a lot to take in."

"You're right." She sighed. "Besides, I need to see if my job is still mine after all this, I guess." She waved a hand in front of her, acknowledging her change.

We made plans to go into town the next day, hoping that the people that had seen her grow up would realize she was still Bella, only less fragile.

Things didn't start out too well, though. When we walked into the shop, Jessica dropped the dresses she was hanging up and gasped, staring wide-eyed at us. Bella smiled and asked, "Is Mrs. Cope in the back?"

Jessica nodded, her mouth agape as Bella grabbed my hand and led me to the back office. I liked Jessica, she was always nice to Bella, but she was the biggest gossip in Forks. I knew that everyone would know about Bella's change as soon as Jessica could get the word out.

The sound of Bella knocking softly on the door brought me out of those thoughts. Mrs. Cope told us to come in, never expecting us, I was sure.

I smiled tentatively at Bella's boss, steeling myself for an angry tirade. Surprisingly, though, she walked around the desk and threw her arms around Bella.

"Oh, sweetheart." She patted Bella's back, causing Bella to sob softly. "I knew this day would come." Mrs. Cope looked at me, and I smiled shyly. She pulled back and asked, "Are you happy, Bella?"

My mate smiled and nodded. "I really am."

"Then that's all that matters." She took her seat again and motioned for us to sit. "I've known you your whole life, Bella. I'm happy that you're happy, and I've always known that Edward brought you back to life."

"You're not going to fire me?" Bella asked quietly, holding my hand.

"No, I'm not." Mrs. Cope smiled kindly. "You've always worked hard, and I know I can trust you. You might catch some flak from other people in town, but as long as you do your job, you'll have one here."

I always knew there was a reason why I liked Bella's boss, but it wasn't until that moment that I really understood the reason behind my fondness for her. She had never looked down at either of us while we were dating; she never made a rude comment or questioned our relationship. I had missed a lot over the years just because I didn't want to see it.

"When can I start back?" Bella asked, obviously happier.

"Why don't you take this week and start back Monday?" She offered.

Bella smiled. "That will be great, Mrs. Cope. Thank you."

As we left the store, I thought for a moment about just how proud I was of Bella. She braved the town and asked for her job, knowing that she might get shoved away. Still, she walked in and faced the situation head-on.

"This is very good news," she said. "Even better news, is that I don't need groceries anymore."

I laughed and helped her into the truck, though she didn't need it. "That is good news. Now we can save up for more vacations."

"A honeymoon," she whispered.

"Absolutely."

That night, Bella and I went through every wedding website we could find. We talked about the colors she'd like and flowers, too.

She knocked me over and we made love on the floor when I mentioned writing our own vows, stating that it seemed more intimate to use our own words.

We had most everything we wanted planned out the time the sun rose the next day.

The only thing we hadn't touched on was the trip back to Italy the following month. I didn't want to bring it up out of fear that Bella would cave in on herself, becoming frightened of what we'd face. Another reason I didn't speak of it was because I honestly didn't want to think about it. It was going to be hard, and I'd feel uneasy until we were home.

I knew that Aro wouldn't do anything unless we broke our end of the bargain, so I wasn't worried about death anymore. I was just worried about Bella and how she'd react.

She sensed my tension and scooted close to me on the couch. "What's got you so wound up?"

Taking a deep breath, I spilled my fears. After several minutes of me ranting and tugging my hair, Bella pulled my hands into her lap.

"Edward, it will be hard, but I'll be fine. You'll be there with me. I really just want to get it over with. I don't even know how long we have to stay there, you know? I'll have to take off more work and put things on hold here." She leaned against my shoulder. "Is there any way that we can find out the timeline now? Aro just said to be there in a month. How can we ask for details when he seems to be the type of person that wants to be able to force you to break prior engagements?"

Her eyes clouded over and she swallowed. "Engagements. Oh my God! Alice won't want me in the wedding anymore!"

Bella's breathing increased and she closed her eyes tightly. I wrapped my arm around her shoulder and tried to calm her, but she didn't acknowledge me. I had to remind myself that newborns could get lost in their own minds, especially when stressed, so I just held her and tried to comfort her.

Finally, she pulled back and sighed. "I need to call Alice and ask her what she'd like. I don't want there to be any miscommunication on my part. If she doesn't want me, then I'll step aside. Since you'll be there, we need to see if Jasper still wants you to stand with him." She kissed my cheek. "I'll call them, if you'll find out information from Volterra."

I nodded, knowing I could phone Gianna and ask for the dates. Aro didn't tell us, but he would already be planning, so the times would be set. "I'll do that now. Do you want me to stay with you while you call Alice?"

"No. I need to handle this on my own. The worst she can say is no, right?"

"I guess so." I stood up. "I'll be out back if you need me."

Bella reached for her cell phone. "I'll be right here."

My phone call was rather short. Gianna answered, I asked, and she put me on hold for sixteen seconds before coming back on the line to say that we'd be expected on November sixth and we could leave the eighth. When I asked why it was so short, she responded simply, "Don't question the brothers, Mr. Masen, they will not explain themselves to you."

I hung up, happy that Bella would only miss one day of work, but unsure as to why they'd only want us there for such a short amount of time. Then I realized – it was Bella. Aro was frightened of her and despite thinking she'd make a fun acquaintance further down the road, Bella was a danger. He wouldn't want her near him for long, especially as a newborn. He could be worried that her mind could change quickly and while she might not want the throne, she could kill him in a rash moment, only to regret it later.

Well, as much as one could regret destroying Aro.

Inside, Bella was also off the phone. Either Alice didn't answer or the response was as brief as mine had been. I had walked far enough away as to not intrude on her conversation, so I walked into the living room blind to what had transpired.

"So?" I asked.

Bella looked up. "You first."

"November sixth through the eighth. You'll need to take off on Monday."

"Huh." She shrugged. "That's not nearly as bad as I thought." She looked down and I waited. Finally she turned her head and looked up at me, smiling shyly. "We're still in."

I moved to her and brought her into a hug. "I'm so glad, sweet girl. This is great news."

Bella nodded. "She couldn't talk long, but she just wanted me to know that even though it would take some getting used to, we were still her friends and we'd still be a part of their wedding."

Her eyes were glazed over and I hugged her tighter. "I should always trust you. You knew this would work out before you were turned. You make me think anything is possible, Bella."

She kissed my shoulder and shook her head.

"They're good people. It's easy to see the bright side when you know that deep down they mean the best."

I kissed her slowly, loving the feel of her lips against mine. She was beautiful and smart, but more than that she was trusting and good.

She was everything that I had trouble being.

I understood then that she didn't just bring me back into the world, she allowed me to see the promise in a future that was always changing.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Things are winding down. One chapter and an epilogue left.

I'd love to hear what you think. See you next Friday!

I donated a Vladimir POV (he's a human in it) outtake to FoxyFics. You can go here for information on how to donate and donations will be accepted until March 31st!

http:/foxyfics(dot)blogspot(dot)com/

Also, I donated an E/B outtake to Fandom Gives Back: Austism. You can go here for all that information:

http:/www(dot)thefandomgivesback(dot)blogspot(dot)com/


	29. Chapter 29

Ch. 29: Falls into Place

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thanks to ladysharkey1 and Jen_328. ILY almost as much as that pic of Robward breaking the headboard….maybe a little more. LOL

* * *

Our anniversary came and went with little fanfare. Bella and I stayed in bed, cuddling and touching. We talked about Alice's wedding, which was the next weekend, and we talked about Italy.

There was an ease about everything, though.

We were happy and together. We had everything we had ever wanted.

"Edward?" Bella said from the bathroom.

I leaned up on my elbow, still in bed. She had banished me from the bathroom because she said that had I gone in there with her, she would be late for work. I had shrugged and lay back down. She was right.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we should bring something for the rehearsal dinner tonight? I mean, I'm a bridesmaid. Does Alice need a gift?" I could hear her washing her hair and smiled. She still got lost in her thoughts, and probably would for the next few months, but she thought of the most random things.

"No. It's just a dinner. I actually think that brides are supposed to give bridesmaids gifts as thank yous."

"Huh." She was quiet again, and I assumed she was wondering about what Alice may or may not get her. Bella loved presents, no matter how much she denied it or said "That's too much". She was just modest and didn't like the attention, but she loved gifts.

I rolled out of bed then and went to the closet. Bella had insisted that she had to shower before work because the smell of us constantly surrounding her sidetracked her too much.

"_I'm already at a disadvantage, Edward. I have the attention span of a toddler. Throw in smelling like sex and you, and I stared at a rack of dresses for ten minutes before Jessica asked me if I was all right."_

I smiled at the memory and pulled on some jeans, opting out of the shirt. Anything that would make her think about me during the day was always a good thing.

I hated to admit, seeing how well she adjusted, the fact that she still had a job, and provided for us, made me feel very inferior at times.

I had a horrible time as a newborn. I was always breaking things and losing my thoughts, but Bella seemed to take it all in stride. She would get lost, but she'd always come back to me, and when she did, she was happy. I remembered being angry and frustrated when it happened to me.

Additionally, she was still making money and providing for us made me feel like less of a husband, fiancé to her. I didn't hold any archaic thoughts that women couldn't be providers, but in the back of my mind, I wished that I could help out in some way. With Bella making waves in Forks by actually holding a job, I started to believe that I could get something, too.

As it turned out, that wasn't the case.

Bella was theirs. She grew up there. Her father had been the police chief there. Even after she'd been changed, the townspeople remembered the shy little girl who blushed, and didn't see the cold skinned vampire she had become.

I was the outsider. I was the one who made them question exactly what a vampire was and most of them didn't want to look too deeply into that.

I walked into the bathroom and sat on the counter as Bella stood under the spray. I couldn't see her through the curtain, but I didn't need to see right then. I had seen her like this before and could easily pull up the image in my mind.

"Sweet girl, you've been in here a while. You need to get out now or you'll be late," I whispered.

She hadn't even acknowledged me entering the room, which led me to believe that she had been thinking of something else and lost in her thoughts. It was normal, and I was glad that I could walk her through this phase.

I shivered as I thought about how close we had come to being separated for so many years because of the Volturi.

"Thank you, baby." She sighed and turned the water off.

She'd been calling me that a lot more lately, too. It was like she had more reasons to use it. To turn me on, to calm me, to thank me. It was becoming as regular an occurrence as me calling her "sweet girl", and I loved it.

She left the house after she dressed. I kissed her several times, begging her to stay or let me visit on her mandatory "lunch break", but she refused.

"Nope. I've got to be focused today, and you'll just make me skip out or meet you in the stock room, and I can't have that." She laughed and pushed me away. "Go have some dinner and when we get home tonight, we'll have shower time." Bella kissed the scar on my neck and backed away.

My voice was rough as I said, "I only like hunting with you now."

She smiled shyly. "Well then, I'll go with you tonight."

I nodded, and she ran to the car, leaving me with a wave and smile.

That was how our days went. I looked around the living room and felt my chest expand.

Although I wasn't thrilled that Bella was supporting us singlehandedly, I had never been happier.

That night, we joined our friends at the church. Each of us listened intently to Alice and moved wherever she told us too. She was intense and stressed, so no one said anything that went against her wishes.

I almost growled when she looked at Bella and scrunched up her face. "Does your hair hold curl now? I don't know a thing about vampire hair. I need it curly. I can't have your hair straight tomorrow."

Bella whispered to me, "Calm down. She doesn't mean it in a hurtful way." Then to Alice she said, "It still curls. I'll do whatever you want with it."

Alice sighed. "Good. That's really good." She glared at Rose. "Since she went and cut her hair all off, I need someone to look classic in my pictures. Can we put flowers in it, Bella? Just some small orange and red ones when they finish curling it and fixing it? It'll be so pretty."

Bella laughed. "That's fine. I think it will be beautiful, Alice."

"Stop being such a bitch, Alice," Rose said loudly. "This might be your wedding, but I bought the damn dress, and I'm paying for my hair to be done, so I'll do with it what I please."

I coughed, covering my laugh and saw Emmett doing the same thing.

"I don't think you can curse in a church, Rose." Bella's brow was furrowed like she was remembering something.

"I don't think they allow vampires in a church either." Emmett laughed.

We all got quiet and turned toward him. Bella looked hurt, but didn't say anything. I wasn't hurt for me, because I was used to him, but this was the first time that he had something like this directly to her. Emmett cringed. "Fuck. I didn't mean that, Bella. I say stupid shit. I'm really sorry."

The funny thing was, he actually looked apologetic. In all the years I'd known him, he never looked ashamed of himself after saying something rude to me, but as I watched him cross the room to Bella and hug her, I knew that something had changed in Emmett.

"I'm very sorry. You're an amazing person, Bella. I'm a dick," he said quietly.

"It's okay. Just be nicer," Bella answered.

"I will. I promise." He squeezed her tight then released her. As he turned back to walk to our side of the altar, he looked at me and nodded. He didn't need to say anything to me. He knew that my feelings were a lot tougher to hurt.

"Emmett, I will nut punch you if you say anything like that again," Rose said and slapped the back of his head.

That seemed to be a turning point for us. Emmett stopped being stand-offish. He looked at Bella and me with a quiet interest, but his remarks about our kind stopped.

Alice's wedding was beautiful, and what she did with Bella's hair was breathtaking. It seemed so unreal that I was surrounded by love and vows, but all I could see was how gorgeous Bella looked. I wondered all through the ceremony if she would wear her hair like that and then run through the woods with me, pretending to be a wood nymph.

_We could have some fun with that. _

After the wedding, life seemed to be easy again. We had our friends over once a week and cooked them dinner, and everything returned to normal.

By the time our trip to Volterra came around, Bella seemed to have withdrawn into herself a little. I noticed that she'd get quiet more and more, and when I brought it up, she sighed and said, "I'm just nervous."

I did the best I could to keep her calm while we waited until it was time to leave for the airport.

"Edward, Isabella," Aro greeted us as we walked into the meeting room.

Instinctively Bella edged behind me, gripping my arm.

"Sir." I nodded.

"Sir," Bella said softly.

Aro stood inches from us and said, "Isabella?" His voice was light and playful. Bella looked up, and he said, "Can you see anything today?"

Bella swallowed and shook her head. "I see nothing, sir."

"Very good. Keep it that way," his voice immediately turned harsh and abrupt.

She nodded, and I reached for her hand that was grasping my arm.

After a few seconds, Aro cleared his throat. "You'll have to see Tanya first and apologize." He smirked and sighed. "She's just beside herself, Edward."

"I'll do my best to apologize to her, sir," I responded.

He didn't acknowledge my statement at all. "You'll take some photos in the castle and then you'll go with another photographer and leave Volterra. I'm not sure what he'll have you do, but I only want you in the castle to deal with Tanya." He walked close to me, standing just a foot away. "Also, don't come back until we call for you. If you step foot in Italy, I will assume it is with malicious intent, and I will strike first. Do we understand each other, Edward?"

I nodded and looked into his eyes. "Yes, sir. Bella and I will not come to Italy unless we are instructed to."

"Good." He waved his hand in dismissal, and we were escorted into another room with several vampires.

The time we spent with Tanya was stressful to say the least. Bella seemed to come out of her shell as soon as Aro left us. It was as if she knew he wouldn't want to be anywhere near her while we were there.

"Edward. How wonderful to see you, love." Tanya walked toward me. Bella slipped from behind me and pressed her back to my chest, effectively keeping Tanya from touching me. "Isabella," she sneered.

"Tanya, we'd like to get this over with and go home," I said forcefully.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Really, Edward, we've been together for years. This shouldn't be uncomfortable." Her voice was suggestive, and Bella reached behind her and wrapped her right hand around my hip. Tanya followed the movement with her eyes.

"We're fine how we are, Tanya. Let's just get this over with. Edward and I have lots of plans tonight," Bella said as she squeezed my hip, subtly letting her nails scrap against me. I snaked an arm around her, trying to pull her closer.

Tanya huffed and turned away, walking to another vampire who was there to write about my apology. The whole situation lasted no longer than fifteen minutes, and we left a steaming Tanya in our wake - while she was responding to my apology, Bella spent a majority of that time breathing in at my neck and drawing attention to her mark on me.

"You're a naughty girl," I whispered as we were led out of the castle and into the countryside, where we would take photos.

"I'm jealous," she admitted. She was quiet for a few moments and then looked up at me, still walking. "Had there been a bathroom, I might have done something just so she could hear and know exactly who you belonged to." I stared intently at her as she continued, "I know that I was harsh about the birthday incident, but I understand." She smiled. "I get it now."

The pictures took far too long. And I knew they would have some steamy shots, judging on how close Bella and I were to each other the whole time. No one would doubt what we were after seeing those pictures, I was sure.

It was completely unfortunate that we had to leave Italy immediately after were finished. We spent nearly twelve hours on a plane, fighting the need to be somewhere alone. I had been tempted to take her in the airplane bathroom, but decided against it. The last thing we needed was Bella kicking a hole in the wall of the plane.

As soon as the plane touched down in Seattle and we were allowed off, I grabbed her hand and pulled her along behind me. I moved quickly, finding a utility room that was far enough away from the busier terminals. At three in the morning, the airport was fairly deserted, anyway.

After breaking the lock, I pushed her inside and against the back wall. "Pants off." I spoke quickly. "I need you right now, sweet girl. I'm going crazy."

Bella whimpered and pulled her top off, and I dropped to my knees, helping her take off her shoes and jeans. "No panties?" I asked, running my nose along her thigh.

"I forgot?" She teased, her fingers tangling in my hair.

I hummed against her stomach, standing up. I unbuckled my jeans and let them fall as I picked her up and rubbed my cock against her.

"I want you so much," she gasped.

"Fuck yes." I thrust into her harshly.

I set a fast pace with my hands gripping her hips as hard as I could. "This good?" I panted as she leaned forward and sucked on my shoulder.

She moaned, biting gently. "Harder, baby. I want you deep."

I twitched inside her and turned around, kneeled on the ground, and then laid her back gently. One leg was hooked around my hip, and I moved the other to my shoulder. I pounded into her, listening as her moans got louder and more insistent. "Like this?" I asked, pushing my hips against her roughly.

"Yes! Edward!" She met me thrust for thrust and in no time was trembling around me. "Love you. Love you," Bella mumbled over and over as she came. "So much, baby."

Her muscles squeezed me, and I dropped to my forearms, her leg almost beside her head. It couldn't have been comfortable, but as I pushed in one last time, I knew I hit a spot I never had before. She spasmed around me again, more powerfully than before, and I was gone, gasping and cursing as I climaxed so fucking deep inside of her.

"Amazing." I kissed her breast through her shirt, dropping her leg.

"Uh huh." Bella pulled me by my hair, bringing her lips to mine. When she pulled away, she grinned. "I feel much better."

I laughed, standing as I pulled up my pants. "I'm glad I could help."

We were met with the odd stare of a security guard as we exited the room. He didn't say anything to us, but I assumed that had we been human, we might have been in some trouble.

It was like our lives had been given a new start. We didn't need to worry about the Volturi anymore, and we were going home.

I reached out and took Bella's hand, and we left Seattle, making plans for Carlisle and Esme's visit at the beginning of January.

"I'm so happy right now," Bella sighed.

"Me too, sweet girl."

We ended up buying new sheets for the guest room despite the fact that our guests didn't sleep. Bella thought it would be nice, and I could never disagree with her about something as simple as sheets.

Carlisle and Esme were due to arrive in the afternoon, so that morning, we busied ourselves cleaning, and then spent an inordinate amount of time in the shower.

As we were drying off, I said, "You might not need to buy groceries anymore, but I think we might be spending that money on a water bill if we keep his up."

"I think I could handle that. Showering with you is very nice." She scratched my stomach.

"I don't mind if you don't."

Bella was still getting dressed when Carlisle and Esme pulled up. I let them in and hugged them both before showing them into the living room.

"It's not big or anything, but its home," I said.

"It's beautiful, Edward. You've made a wonderful home." Esme patted my shoulder.

"It's lovely," Carlisle added, looking at the pictures on the wall.

"Hi, everyone!" Bella greeted.

Esme ran and hugged Bella, sighing. "I'm so happy to see you."

"Me too, Esme."

Carlisle hugged her next and then we seated ourselves around the living room.

I decided to dive right into the hard questions, so I asked, "So do you think my preference for animal blood transferred to Bella?"

Carlisle laughed lightly at my choice of topic and nodded, then said, "It's possible. There really isn't any way to tell. I drank animal blood on and off before I changed Esme, but she's always preferred donated blood. You made a change that was permanent and never deviated from it, so maybe it did change things for Bella."

I nodded, and Bella kissed my check. Carlisle started to speak again, but Bella cut him off, speaking to Esme and allowing her newborn nature to show for a brief moment. "We were wondering if you would allow us to have the wedding at your home in San Francisco in June."

"That's fine!" Esme said happily. "Have you decided on anything?"

This launched Bella and Esme into a discussion about all the wedding details we had already discussed, leaving me and Carlisle to our own conversations.

"So you were in Italy last month?" He asked softly.

"We had photo shoots. I also had to appear apologetic to Tanya for breaking our engagement."

Carlisle laughed. "Tanya must have taken that so hard."

"You can only imagine." I smirked. My bet was she was chasing Alistair right now, preparing for that fiasco of a wedding.

We talked for a few more minutes about Aro when Bella gasped and gripped my hand really hard. I turned and she reached for her throat.

"I'm thirsty," she whispered, avoiding eye contact.

"If you'll excuse us for a little while." I stood up. "Make yourselves at home and we'll be back as soon as we can."

Esme smiled. "Take your time. We'll be fine."

I led Bella out the back door, and she took off through the trees. I followed closely behind her, watching as she missed deer after deer, but then realized she hadn't been trying to catch them. After running for about fifteen minutes, she stopped and fell to her knees.

"Bella, what's wrong? Did something happen?" I was right beside her, rubbing her back.

"Edward, when I tell you this, you have to promise to stay right here and not say anything. I need to you to think first before you act." Her hands shook as she reached for my arms.

"I promise, sweet girl." I looked into her eyes and saw the confusion there.

"I didn't mean to see it," she whispered.

"What did you see?" I asked shakily.

"We were talking about colors, and I haven't been able to control it very well, like yesterday, I saw some bonds between people when I was at work, but today, I saw something with Esme." She paused. "She has a mate in Carlisle and he's her maker, she also has blood relations somewhere still, but what shocked me was…"

"What is it?" I asked again, getting impatient.

"Edward, she's your maker." Bella looked up at me.

I shook my head, trying desperately to understand what she had just said. Esme was my maker?

"No, they would have told me that."

"Think about it, Edward. The way you were left? How Carlisle found you out in the woods? He knew where to look? How they have been so happy for you because you're finally happy?" She touched my cheek. "I saw it, baby."

I curled in on myself, feeling all the devastation that came with this knowledge. My maker didn't want me. I was randomly attacked by a newborn and left for dead. I had been alone and scared when I woke up and then taken in by that same newborn.

Logically, I knew that she hadn't been in any shape to mentor me, so that's what Carlisle did. He was protecting his mate by taking on her responsibilities.

But why didn't they tell me? They should have told me. I should have known. They could have given me a reason for my existence.

"Edward, baby, calm down." Bella rocked me. "I'm here."

That stopped me in my tracks. _Bella_ was here. If none of this had happened, I wouldn't have Bella. I would have lived an incomplete life because she wouldn't have been mine.

I couldn't hate Esme and Carlisle. They hadn't been truthful, but they had helped me. They had provided me with a home and help over the years. It might not have started out well with Esme leaving me in the woods, but they did find me and keep me safe.

"I have you," I whimpered. "That makes it worth it."

"Will you talk to her?" Bella asked after several more minutes.

"Yes. I need to." I sat up and sighed. "Do you need to hunt?" I asked because even though I was hurting and feeling unsettled, she was my mate and a newborn. She needed me to hold it together and make sure she was all right. After all, she managed to lead me outside and tell me instead of letting her emotions get the better of her and yelling it to the room.

"No. I'm really fine." She kissed me.

I stood up, taking her hand, and started running home.

When we reached the door, I pulled her to me and hugged her. "Thank you."

Bella nodded and opened the door, walking in front of me into the living room. Carlisle and Esme sat watching something on television, not really looking up when we entered. They knew it was us anyway.

"Good lunch?" Esme asked, turning toward us as we sat together in a chair.

"Very." Bella looked down at her lap.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of, Bella. You're a newborn and you'll need to drink more often than normal," Carlisle offered kindly, misunderstanding her look of chagrin.

Bella nodded, and I took the opportunity to look at the two people who had always been there for me, helping me, teaching me. I felt grateful, but at the same time, like I had been betrayed.

"I'm about to ask something, and you cannot question how I got this information, all right?" I looked at Carlisle and Esme.

"Of course, Edward. Is everything okay?" Esme's face was full of concern.

"I just want to know why you never told me about my maker." Their jaws fell just a little. "I can understand protecting your mate, Carlisle, but I would have thought I deserved to know."

Esme tensed up and broke eye contact with me, but Carlisle caught my stare. "It was my fault that it happened. I took responsibility." His tone was absolute.

"No. Esme is my maker. It wasn't your fault," I said.

"Edward, if Bella attacked someone today, killed them or changed them, whose fault would it be?" He looked at me searchingly.

I answered without hesitation. "Mine."

"Why?"

"She's my mate, and I'm her maker. I should have been there. She's young, and my job as her maker is to keep her safe and those humans around her out of danger."

He nodded. "Exactly."

I whispered, "I see."

I looked back at Esme, who was still looking down at her hands. Finally she spoke, "I'm so sorry, Edward." Her eyes met mine again, and I could see the sincerity there. "I thought I was under control, but you…I'd never smelled anything like you."

Carlisle grabbed her hand. "Singers are rare, Edward. I never told her about them because honestly, I'd never met one. I never thought…" he trailed off, looking at Bella.

I swallowed and held Bella tighter. "Bella was a singer," I stated.

"Yes." Carlisle sighed. "It's very interesting that you are mates and both were singers as humans. Sadly, there's not really anything to go on to say if it was a pattern or not. Not many singers live."

We were silent for a long time, hours - the sun had set and the house was completely dark. Everyone could see perfectly, so when Esme spoke again, I could see the hesitance on her face. "I've carried the guilt of what I did to you for so long, Edward. I would keep tabs on where you were and what you were doing while you were away from us, because I desperately wanted you to be happy. I had taken everything from you, and you had nothing in this life." She cleared her throat, and Carlisle pulled her close to him, comforting her. "So four and a half years ago, when I found a hit for a bank account with the name of Edward Masen and Isabella Swan, I looked into it." She shrugged. "You were happy. You had everything that I'd ever wanted for you.

"I couldn't let you just flounder. You had no income to bring to the table, and I knew that there was no way you'd be able to make any kind of living in this town. I just—I just wanted to help."

Bella gasped and looked at Esme with wide eyes. "It's you?"

"Both of us." Carlisle nodded.

It all clicked then. "You've been depositing money into our bank account? You acted like you didn't even know I had a mate, both times I saw you!" I yelled at Carlisle.

"No, I told you I wanted to meet her. I was never surprised about Bella and never acted that way. If you recall correctly, we were thrilled. The only time we were ever surprised was when we found out that Bella was the target," Carlisle explained.

I thought back, and he was right. They had expressed happiness and almost a sense of excitement that came when you waited for something so long and it finally showed up. But no real surprise.

The money, though…

I couldn't even provide a life for my mate. I was useless; I had no job, nothing. I was being supported by the two people that I always thought I could trust, but who had been lying to me since I was turned.

"I need some time," I choked out.

Carlisle and Esme looked shocked and didn't move. "You've been amazing to us, but I just don't know what to say. The money has been so helpful to us. Thank you for that. I just think that Bella and I need to run and hunt and spend some time away, and when we get back, I think I'll be more settled." I moved Bella from my lap and stood. "I'm really sorry," I whispered.

"We'll do whatever you want." Esme's voice was soft and broken.

I nodded and walked out of the house, Bella right behind me.

The next few hours were filled with sporadic hunting and lots of discussion.

Bella was my best friend, and she walked me through everything I was feeling, never judging me or telling me I was wrong for taking this time to get my thoughts together.

She only said, "They want to be in your life, Edward. You need to figure out how big a role that will be now with what you know."

So I thought, and the sun rose and set again. As the stars twinkled above us, Bella kissed my shoulder.

"Have you decided anything?"

I shook my head. "I forgive them for lying to me. I would have done the same thing in Carlisle's position. I think they should have told me after I got used to being a vampire, though." I sighed. "I don't like that they lied about the money."

"Tell them that." Bella scratched my scalp.

"That's the thing. That's why I'm confused. Bella, I can't make that income up if we lose it. If I told them to stop, we'd be cutting things close."

She laughed and shook her head. "Edward, we don't need much; the house is paid off, there's no mortgage or anything. We have no debt. I get paid more than enough for our utilities and car note." She pointed at herself. "Vampire now. No food needed."

I collected my thoughts before speaking again. "I think I want them to stop putting the money in there."

Bella smiled against my cheek. "If that's what you want, then I'll stand behind you."

"I just don't feel right taking it. It seems like it was guilt money, you know? I know that's not how they see it, but that's how it feels." I finished, "I want them in our lives. They've been my friends since the beginning. I just don't want the money, not if we can make it without it."

"We can make it, baby."

We walked back to the house slowly, my hand never leaving hers.

The last few months had been a roller coaster, but she'd always been there with me. Never flinching in her support, even when I messed up. She was my rock, my roots, and as we walked back to our home I knew without a doubt my future was bright because of her.

We would make it no matter what we faced.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I really hoped you liked this.

Keep an eye out for updates to "More Time" this week. I'm going to upload my FoxyFics contribution =)

See you next Friday. Teasers with reviews.


	30. Chapter 30

Ch. 30: Ease

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

Thank you to ladysharkey1 and Jen328 for doing everything they have with this story. Without y'all none of this would have happened.

* * *

I wasn't allowed to see her all day, which was torture since we were in the same house. I was downstairs trying in vain to clear my mind and stop listening to her movements or her whispered words to her friends who were helping her dress.

The hours passed at an excruciating pace, but somehow I managed to suffer through it until it was time to put on my suit. I went into the guest bedroom, listening to the sound of guests arriving and Esme and Carlisle greeting them and ushering them to their seats. While the months had been a bit strained between us at times, we'd managed to come together for the wedding, understanding and coming to terms with the past.

After all, an eternity is a long time to hold a grudge.

I'd just finished knotting my tie when I heard a zipper and two separate gasps.

"What do you think?" Bella asked quietly. I smiled, knowing that she was trying to keep details from me. "Will he like it?" She asked even lower.

"Bella, it's gorgeous. You're going to knock him dead," Alice said happily.

"Good thing he already is," snarked Rose right back.

Bella laughed loudly. "I guess it is."

I might not have been able to see her, but I listened intently - hearing the silk as it drifted over her skin. I shivered and almost groaned when it swished, imagining it falling over her hips.

"Stop listening to me, baby," she whispered just for me. "It's a surprise."

I laughed softly. "I'll be waiting for you, sweet girl."

She didn't respond, and I took a steadying breath before walking out of the guest room and onto the back deck.

The garden was just how Bella wanted. The benches were removed, and in their place were four rows of chairs, with five chairs to each row. Each chair was covered in white fabric and was tied with a deep purple ribbon. I had noticed the significance of her decorations immediately when she told me the colors she wanted and couldn't stop my smile when she mentioned that she would be carrying a bouquet of violet tulips and lilacs tied together with a silver ribbon.

The small tables that had been set up to hold food and the couple of circular ones that were for people to sit during the reception were covered in white cloths with centerpieces that held the same flowers as her bouquet, along with purple roses.

It was beautiful, and I was glad that we had taken the time to plan exactly what she wanted.

"Excited?" Carlisle stood beside me, looking over the garden.

"Very. Thank you for letting us use your home." I turned to face him. "Bella has always loved it here."

He smiled. "Perhaps when you're ready to leave Forks, you can live here for awhile."

"Maybe." I sighed and looked at my watch.

"Time won't speed up." Esme tapped my arm.

I huffed. "Don't I know it. I've been watching the clock all day."

I complained about the time, but it really wasn't that long before Alice and Rose came downstairs and headed for their seats. Soon, those who were standing around sat as well.

It was a small wedding; it had always been planned that way.

The front row consisted of Esme, Alice, Jasper, Rose, and Emmett. The second and third rows made up the vampire parties - Garrett and Kate, William, Stefan, and Vladimir and Alli.

I smiled briefly at the last pairing, before taking a deep breath and walking past the chairs to stand at my place in front of the arch that Bella had commissioned specifically for the ceremony. It was wrought iron and detailed with vines and flowers that could only be seen when up close to it.

"It's time," Carlisle said softly.

I looked to him, standing in the position ofofficiant, and nodded.

The back doors opened and Bella stood in the between them, her head down as she picked up her dress slightly to walk down the step. When she looked up, she smiled, and I saw her exhale.

The walk down the aisle felt fast and slow at the same time. Her dress gently skimmed the grass and looked so soft that I knew my fingers would slide against it with ease. It was strapless and straight with off-white, almost gold embroidery along the bottom. Simple and elegant just like the woman who was wearing it.

"You look stunning," I managed to whisper as she reached me. Her hair was loosely curled with little diamond-like clips holding portions of it back from her face.

"You look pretty good, too," she said back, squeezing my hands.

The ceremony was traditional. We each spoke our own vows, allowing our guests to hear just a portion of what we meant to each other. Some things would never be addressed to people outside of our relationship. They were just too private.

By the time I slipped the silver band on her finger, the twinkle lights turned on and the sun started to set. The light was just right as she took my hand and placed my ring back from where she had taken it from the previous night.

"It's with great honor that I now pronounce you husband and wife. May your eternity be filled with much love and happiness." He smiled at us. "You may kiss the bride, Edward."

I took her into my arms, letting her dress slip under my fingers, and claimed her lips with my own. It was the same, but still different. "This is the start," I whispered. She nodded against me and we turned to our friends.

"May I present to you Edward and Bella Masen." Carlisle started clapping, and we were immediately assaulted with hugs and smiles from our friends.

"Who knows? One day that might be me," William said, smiling at Bella.

"It will be, and you will be thankful that someone came along to put up with you forever." Bella hugged him tightly and turned to Rose, who was trying to get the photographer to take a group photo.

We were lined up, pictures were taken with our guests and then with the dwindling light behind us, the photographer took pictures of Bella and me in front of our arch, arms around each other, smiling in some, kissing in a few, in one her forehead against my chest while I leaned my nose into her hair. We were both smiling, eyes closed.

_That was my favorite one._

The party lasted all night. We danced most of it, curled into each other.

The humans all left for their hotel around two in the morning, but the vampires stayed. I sighed, slightly saddened that one day, those humans wouldn't be here any longer. It would be these vampires who were to be our friends and acquaintances through our lifetime.

"Don't think too hard, Mr. Masen," Bella said, smiling.

"I'm not. Just happy." I played with a loose strand of hair, curling it around my finger.

We swayed to the music, not really hearing as the last of our guests, Carlisle and Esme, went upstairs.

The sun peeked over the horizon, signaling a new day and I turned Bella to face it, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Start of new day, Mrs. Masen." I kissed her hair.

She was quiet for a moment then held my hands over her stomach. "It's the start of everything."

* * *

**Five years later**

I hustled down the cobblestone street toward the café where Bella had told me to meet her. I was running a little late, but I hadn't anticipated my stop at the jewelry store taking as long as it did.

Just because I was a vampire didn't mean that I had untold riches. Apparently this was a lie still perpetrated by the media, and the saleswoman who helped me believed it because she was set on selling me the matching necklace and earrings to the bracelet I had reserved.

I slowed down when I'd nearly reached the café and smiled as I caught sight of Bella. She was sitting with her book opened and a cup of coffee in one hand. Her hair was curled and beautiful, artfully situated under a knit hat.

My steps slowed as I enjoyed the view, and I smiled even wider as a young Frenchman sat in front of her. She shook her head politely, and I got close enough to hear her tell him she was married and her husband was right behind him.

She hadn't even looked up, so I knew she'd caught my scent.

The man turned, and I narrowed my eyes at him. He stood immediately and walked quickly down the street.

"Bonjour, lover," Bella said, tracing her tongue over her bottom lip.

"Mon amour," I answered before taking her hand that had been warmed by the coffee cup.

She closed her book and asked, "What kept you?"

"I was getting something." I reached my free hand into my pocket.

She shook her head. "Did you get something that I told you not to?"

"Of course." I pushed the rectangular, velvet box across the table and she smiled. "Open it."

Bella let go of my hand and picked up the box, opening it slowly. She gasped and covered her smile with her hand. "It's gorgeous," she said, lightly running her finger over the diamonds.

"It wasn't nearly as expensive as you think." I paused. "Well, I guess it was, but I've had it on hold for years and been paying it off over time."

"Years?" she asked.

"I found it in the thirties, but it was so expensive that I couldn't purchase it. I always thought that I could give it to my mate if I ever found her. It's very old." I took in her soft smile. "If you'd like, they have a necklace that I can put on hold as well."

She shook her head, her eyes glassy. "It's perfect. I love it." Bella picked it up gently. "Put it on me?"

I fixed the clasp and let my fingers linger on the inside of her wrist.

"Want to go back to our room for a while?" I looked up from under my lashes, giving her a crooked grin.

Bella stood, placing the jewelry box in her purse along with her book. "That's really presumptuous. You bring me jewelry and expect me to fall straight into bed?"

I smiled crookedly before saying, "Not the bed, sweet girl. I was thinking the wall beside the balcony." I swallowed thickly. "You could look out and see the Eiffel Tower. It would be such a touristy thing to do."

Her eyes glazed slightly. "You didn't need to get me the bracelet to have me agree to that."

I shifted in the chair. "I'll remember that."

Bella turned and started to walk down the street and I stood quickly, following her, staring at the way her jeans hugged her curves and how her hair bounced with each step.

Right before entering the hotel, she turned and smiled, crooking her finger. "C'mon, Mr. Masen. You've got promises to keep."

I sped up then, wrapping my arms around her waist and leading her through the lobby to the elevators.

"I do intend to make good on all of them," I said as the doors opened and we stepped in.

The ride was short and soon I was opening the door to our room. Bella walked in before me, dropping her purse on the small table in the sitting room. I moved slowly, taking in her form and movement. When she reached the balcony doors, she turned around and started to pull her shirt over her head. I trailed my eyes over her skin as it was revealed and groaned when she tossed her shirt away.

She was flawless and soft, to me at least.

When her hands went to the button on her jeans, she stopped and asked, "Are you going to join me?"

I nodded. "I'm just enjoying the view. Continue, please." I smiled and waved my hand at her.

She rolled her eyes, shimmied her jeans down her legs, and kicked them to the side. One hand was softly moving across her stomach while the other stayed on her hip. "Well?"

I adjusted myself in my jeans and watched as she licked her lips, staring at the straining material. "Everything off." My voice was gravelly and her eyes drooped in response.

Her hands went behind her back to release the clasps of her bra, and I unbuttoned by pants and toed of my shoes. The straps fell off her arms, but she held the cups to her breasts, keeping them covered. "All of it, Bella," I commanded as my jeans and boxers fell to the floor, and I stepped out of them. I took my aching cock in my hand and stroked it slowly. "Now, please." I softened my voice, smiling deviously.

She let the bra fall and rubbed her thighs together before hooking her thumbs around the sides of her panties. I immediately grabbed the neck on my shirt and pulled it over my head, tearing it slightly in my haste. Still, I managed to have it off by the time she started to pull the lacey purple material down her legs.

My hand went back to my erection, keeping a steady rhythm. "Lay on the bed."

She tilted her head slightly and asked, "Why?"

"Just get on the bed, Bella." I swallowed hard and watched as she walked over the bed, scooting back against the pillows with her legs drawn up.

I moved to the end of the bed, crawling up and sitting up on my knees.

"Part those legs, sweet girl. I want to see all of you." I resumed my motions, starting to pant softly.

She did as I asked, letting her knees fall open.

Immediately, I was hit with the scent of her arousal and groaned. "Touch yourself."

She hesitated. "I thought we were going to be against the wall." Bella pouted.

I moved quickly and took that full bottom lip between my own, rubbing myself against her slick pussy. "We will. Trust me, we will, but I want to see this, sweet girl. I want watch you come." My forehead leaned against hers and her hand snaked between us; instead of stroking me though, she started to circle her clit. I could feel her motions against herself and the slightly brushes against my cock.

"God," I groaned, sitting back again.

I stared with my jaw dropped as she worked herself over. Her finger slipped from her clit down her opening, pressing in gently.

I matched her pace, making sure to squeeze the head slightly, pretending like I was entering her. I watched as she fucked herself, slowing adding another finger while her other hand played with her breast.

Everything was so slow and drawn out, and I was fighting the need to slap her hands away and show her how I'd do it.

I saw her smirk as she slowed down even more, and I could feel the tension in my neck and shoulders as I restrained myself from taking over.

Bella removed her fingers and circled her clit at a slow pace. My hips were thrusting erratically into my strokes and I was breathing hard, taking in as much of her scent as I could.

"More," I pleaded and ran my thumb roughly under the head of my cock.

She continued at her current pace, shifting her hips against her hand, staring at my hand as I palmed myself again. "More," she whispered.

I started to fall over and caught myself with my left hand. I didn't stop my ministrations and she pressed her fingers harder against her swollen skin.

"I can't stop it," I panted as I felt my balls start to tingle slightly.

"Me either." She smiled.

"You're not even going hard, "I groaned as she pushed two fingers inside herself.

"I'm watching you," she whispered.

I was still hunched over slightly, and it put me in a perfect position to watch her.

The feeling was intensifying and I knew it was almost over, and then Bella arched slightly, stilling her fingers inside herself.

I watched her muscles contracted around her fingers and her climax coated her fingers. Before I could stop myself I bent down and licked her fingers that were still buried inside herself. Bella called my name and started to spasm again. This time it was too much. The sight of her, seeing her come, her taste on my tongue - I pulled back a little and stroked harder, finally finding my own end as I came in several spurts against her hip and thigh.

When I was finished, I leaned my forehead against her stomach and enjoyed the aftermath of our loving. Her fingers ran through my hair and I kissed below her belly button.

"So, no balcony?" She giggled.

I couldn't help my laugh, too and looked through the glass of the doors. "Oh, we'll get there in a minute."

* * *

**Ten years later**

"Sweet girl, why in the world do you have this on?" I asked, walking up the stairs.

Oceans sounds and tropical noises had been playing on repeat for the last week. I knew that she wanted to go some place for our ten year wedding anniversary, but it wasn't possible this year. We could have run all the way to Brazil, but that would have taken a few days and then a week there and few days back, it just wouldn't work.

After our wedding, I went to work for Emmett in his sports bar. It wasn't a handout because he really needed a cook during the day time, and I just happened to cook really well.

Then Mrs. Cope had retired and had come to us when she decided she wanted to sell the store, giving us first choice in buying her out. After some careful thought and consideration, we bought it from her outright. It was the biggest decision we'd ever made financially, and the decision that solidified our status as meshers.

Owning the store allowed me to quit working for Emmett, which worked out really well because Emmett's younger brother had moved into town and was looking for a job.

Due to all that, we hadn't been able to go on vacation, so Bella has taken to playing that awful soundtrack on repeat, all day every day.

"It's ambiance, Edward," she huffed.

"You realize that when we watch Sophie tonight that you're going to have to turn that off, right?"

Emmett and Rose's daughter was five and hadn't been sleeping well lately because their son, Riley had colic and cried all night. She was in the middle of kindergarten and had been falling asleep during class, so we were going to see if staying with us a couple of nights out of the week would help at all.

"Edward, I'll turn it off then, but right now, I'm pretending to be in a hot tub staring out into the ocean in some beach front cottage."

I walked into the bathroom and leaned against the counter.

"You're silly."

She sighed. "Come join me? It's warm and if I think hard enough, I can tune out the scratchiness on the CD."

I undressed quickly and slid in behind her, pulling her back against my chest. "You're right. This is amazing."

I kissed her neck softly, occasionally sucking on her skin.

After a few minutes of silence and kisses, I said, "I'm sorry that we can't go to the beach this year. I feel terrible about it." I really did. That was where she had seen us at our ten year anniversary, and we weren't there.

"Don't be. I'm just being fussy." She turned and straddled my lap. "We could have gone; we just knew other things were more pressing. We have friends that need our help and a business that needs to be looked after." She wrapped her arms around my neck. "Plus, we got this big tub as present to ourselves and let's be honest; we really needed a big tub." I leaned my head back to see the wide smile that graced her features.

"We did need a new tub," I agreed.

"Exactly." She curled her body over mine, her fingers playing with my hair. "We got everything else we wanted though."

"Huh?" My response almost made me laugh. I couldn't think when she was over me like that.

"We're godparents, and we have supportive friends. That was the stuff we weren't sure we'd get."

She was right, and I hugged her tight.

"What will we do next year?" I asked, playing with her hair.

She kissed my neck, licking over her mark.

"I want to go back to the cabin. We haven't been back since I was changed." She nipped my skin lightly. "It would be nice to go there and make less stressful memories."

"I like it."

Our lives had retained a calm, easy nature over the years. We'd returned to Italy twice and both times were quick trips without any catches. Aro seemed to be getting less and less suspicious of Bella, which worked really well in our favor.

As I held her in my arms, enjoying the warm water, I smiled.

We had forever of this—all the time in world.

* * *

Thanks you again to everyone that read, reviewed, reached out on Twitter, or rec'ed ARAT. You have no idea how much your support and love for the story meant to me.

Ladysharkey1 thanks for jumping on this story when I randomly DM'ed you on Twitter asking if you were interested in beta'ing…lol It meant a lot to me then that you'd take this one and even more now that I've gotten to know you over the course of the story. Thank you, bb and I hope you're having fun in D.C!

Jen328, it's been a ride, hasn't it? From the morning in October when you opened a rambling email from me about this weird/cool dream I had until here. I can't thank you enough for your support and friendship. It's meant the world to me and I'm so happy that this experience allowed us to become closer. I can't wait to hang out with you next week and possibly see the Pretteh. Even if we don't, it will be a blast!

So now I'm clicking complete and bidding these two a fond farewell. There will be outtakes and if you missed them there were two Vlad outtakes that complete his story added this week. It's under "More Time" on my profile.

Thank you again.

Katie


	31. Chapter 31

Family

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

As always, thank you to ladysharkey1 and Jen328. I'd be nowhere without your support and encouragement.

This was written for the FGB: Autism compilation that went out in April, and takes place between years 5 and 10 in the epilogue.

* * *

The phone rang shortly after three in the morning, causing Bella to rush out of the shower and run downstairs. She was dripping wet, and I was never more thankful for her vampire balance. If she had been human, there was no telling if she would have made it down the stairs in one piece or not.

"Jasper?" Bella answered the phone quickly.

I made my way downstairs in a towel and heard his response. "Bella! Alice's water broke while we were in bed! Oh my God, it was disgusting…"

He was interrupted by Alice screeching, "It's a natural part of childbirth! We need to leave now, you big baby!"

"We're on our way, Jasper. We'll run." Bella spoke happily, turning for the door.

"No, Bella. We'll drop Aaron off, if that's all right. I don't know how long we'll be there, and your house is on the way," Jasper rattled off, while I heard the sound of him picking up their three year old son. "C'mon, buddy," he whispered. "We'll be there in ten, Bella. Thank you."

The line cut off, and Bella started to squeal. "A little girl, Edward! We get to meet Beth soon!" She clapped and ran back upstairs. "I'm getting dressed and straightening up the guest room for Aaron."

I heard her moving around and closed my eyes against the flood of emotions that welled up in me. I loved being their honorary uncle, but every time I held Aaron or Emmett and Rose's daughter Sophie, I was overcome with longing.

I wanted a little girl with chocolate brown eyes or a little boy with wild red hair. I knew it would never be possible, so I kept it to myself.

As I walked back to our bedroom, I heard Bella call out, "Edward, where's that purple elephant that Aaron likes? I thought it was in the closet." She was moving around and muttering something I couldn't understand.

"Sweet girl, I moved it to the hall closet because it scares Sophie, and she didn't want it in the room."

"Oh! You never told me you moved it, just that she didn't like it."

I pulled on some jeans and a pull-over. "I didn't really think about it. I just took it away because she started crying."

Bella hummed in response and soon came back into the bedroom. "Everything is all set!"

I hugged her to me and breathed in her scent. It was more soapy than usual, but we just spent the last forty minutes in the shower. "I'm glad they called," I said softly.

"Me too," she responded. "It's exciting to have another little one around. I'm so happy they let us be a part of it."

I heard Jasper's car pull up the drive, and then kissed her quickly before running down the stairs and outside. I stood beside Jasper as he unloaded Aaron, and Bella crouched down in the passenger doorway, speaking with Alice.

"Hey, little man," I said quietly, taking Aaron from Jasper. "He'll be fine, man. We've got the guest room all ready and all of his favorites to eat when he wakes up."

Jasper gave me a tired smile and said, "I know you do, Edward. I know he'll be safe with you."

We always had this same exchange whenever we watched Aaron or Sophie. I just wanted them to know that Bella and I would always keep their children safe and that we took the responsibility very seriously every time they were dropped off with us.

I nodded and Bella stood, kissing Alice's cheek. "You'll do amazing, Ali. Call us when we can see that little girl."

"I will." Alice grimaced, and I could actually see her stomach tighten under her t-shirt.

They pulled away and we walked inside, Aaron was still asleep on my shoulder. He was used to being around Bella and me, so he didn't wake up anymore when we held him. Our cold, solid bodies were normal for him.

I looked down at Bella, who was staring at me with admiration and love. "I'm going to put him in bed."

She nodded and said, "Meet me in our bedroom."

Smiling, I patted my sleeping god-child's back and made my way up to his room. The bed was completely decked out in race car sheets and a comforter. Bella insisted that each child get their own sheets, so Aaron had race cars, Sophie had butterflies, and if they stayed with us at the same time, then they had stars.

I laid him down, and made sure that the safety side was in place, before closing the door softly. He always slept like a champ, reminding me of a time when I was a boy and would sleep late in the mornings during the summer.

I was honestly very surprised when that first childhood memory came to me after seeing Aaron burrow into the covers when Bella tried to wake him up one morning after his first birthday. I smiled at Bella and whispered, "Later" when she asked me why I had a look of nostalgia on my face. When I told her, she hugged me and said, "Maybe something else will strike another memory."

So far nothing else had resurfaced, but maybe when Aaron and Sophie got older, they would do something that brought another memory back.

I opened the door to our bedroom and found Bella seated in the middle of the bed, holding up what looked like a photo album.

"I bought this for Alice last week, and I wanted to write her and Jasper a note and also a note to Beth. We'll put them in the back and then they can read them later." She handed me a sheet of paper and a pen.

"That's a nice gesture." I started to write on the paper. I wrote a letter to Alice and Jasper, wishing them well, promising to always protect their children, to never lose contact with them. I wrote to Beth promising an eternal friend and family. After all, we'd be around forever, and I knew that Bella would never let her friend's ancestors leave us. We'd always know what was happening in their lives.

I finished after a few minutes and looked up at Bella, who was finishing up as well.

"That was really sweet of you, Bella. You always think of things that I would never even consider."

Bella laughed. "The wife always thinks of the sentimental stuff, don't you know that? Isn't that how you were raised, Mr. Masen?"

I took the papers from her hands, not wanting to damage the words she had written or the book, either. After sitting them on the bedside table, I grabbed her quickly and tossed her onto her back. The bed squeaked a little and we both froze, listening intently for any sign that we'd woken up our little guest.

His breathing never changed, and I kissed Bella softly. "I don't remember how I was raised, but I can assure you that I always knew that women should be equals and have all kinds of rights, and never should be molded into a certain positions. I was a forward-thinking man." My grin was widening, just waiting for her response.

"Uh huh. That's why you had women falling over themselves to get to you. You were so advanced and all. I think you might have been stubborn and old-fashioned." She licked my bottom lip. "A prude." Her eyebrows lifted as she said it.

I pressed my body to hers, making sure she could feel every inch of my desire for her. "You're absolutely right, Mrs. Masen. I was a prude." I shifted against her, causing her eyes to close. "I was stubborn." Another shift toward her center. "I'm so glad you could teach me all that I know. How will I repay you?" I kissed her jaw, sucking on the skin softly.

"Oh, I can think of some ways." She groaned as I moved a hand under her shirt.

We didn't make a habit out of making love while we had guests, simply because Bella didn't know how to be quiet, and I just didn't think it was an appropriate way to pass the time while they slept. However, with the extreme emotions that we'd been having before we got the call, I felt it was time to make an exception.

We moved slowly, murmuring so quietly that even if a vampire had been downstairs they wouldn't have been able to make out our words.

I pressed into her one last time as she trembled around me. In the early morning, it seemed so precious to be laying there with my wife, holding her naked body close to mine as she brought covers around us. We had so many lifetimes ahead of us and so many more mornings like that to look forward too.

She scratched my chest, tracing patterns, just enjoying the quiet.

"Do you ever pretend that they are ours?" Bella asked. She wasn't judging me at all, I knew that much.

I let my fingers weave in her hair and sighed. "Sometimes." I closed my eyes. "I wish that we could have that." Bella didn't say anything so I spoke again, "I'm sorry I can't give you that."

She nuzzled my shoulder. "I'm sorry that I can't give you that, too."

We were silent for a few minutes, and then Bella propped herself up on her elbow and said, "We'll just have to be a great aunt and uncle. They'll never be without love, and that's the most important thing, that we can love them."

I nodded. "I do. Like they are my own, Bella."

She smiled and kissed me. "You're an amazing man, Edward, and I you love so completely. They are very lucky to have you looking out for them."

I felt my eyes glass over, and I looked away. "It's all because of you, you know that, right? I wouldn't even be the same man without you."

Bella wrapped her arms around me. "That's why we're meant to be together. We make each other better people."

Just then we heard the rustling of sheets from the next room and a little voice call, "Momma?"

I hopped up, dressing quickly in the same jeans and pull-over as before, and went to the bedroom. I opened the door and saw him sitting in the middle of the bed, rubbing his eyes.

"Little man!" I whispered excitedly. He looked up and smiled back, happily.

"E!" The kid couldn't say Edward to save his life, so I just started calling myself 'E' and he really took to that.

"You have a good sleep?" I asked as I got to the edge of the bed. He lifted his arms, and I picked him up.

He nodded and lay his head down on my shoulder. "I think Aunt Bella is making you eggs. Does that sound good?"

"Eggs and cheese," he stated and patted my cheek.

I nodded. "Anything you want, buddy."

We arrived in the kitchen to Bella scrambling some eggs.

"Where Momma?" he asked, looking around the room.

Bella leaned against the counter and said, "Momma and Daddy are at the doctor." She waited for a moment, letting that sink in and then said, "Beth might be here today."

"Beth?" he asked, his little eyebrows raised slightly.

"Yup," I said with a smile. "You're going to be a big brother."

Alice and Jasper had been getting him use to the idea of a baby for the last several months, so he knew who Beth was and that she would be tiny when she got here. Everything else was all abstract, like where she came from and what she would do around the house. He was adamant that his toys were not to be played with by this new 'Beth'.

"Okay." He looked down at the table. "Eggs and cheese?"

The conversation was over, and I worried that Alice and Jasper might have more trouble on their hands than they thought when it came to Aaron accepting Beth.

All throughout the morning, Bella sat by the phone. It was almost like she was willing it to ring. I was getting antsy watching her, so I took Aaron outside to the little playset that Bella and I had bought.

"Swing me, E!" He ran across the backyard to the set.

"I will. I will." I jogged behind him, letting him beat me there.

After I buckled him into the little baby seat, I pushed him forward very gently.

There was a few minutes of silence before he said, "I don't want Beth."

I smiled behind him. "You'll be her big brother, though and get to teach her everything you know, like which super hero to like. That's an important job, little man."

He huffed, and I moved around the front of the swing, pushing him that way.

"I was never a big brother," I said, shaking my head for emphasis. "I remember always wishing I had someone to play with." Even as I said it, I knew it was the truth. Our little, simple conversation brought back that memory and another of me sitting in the garden behind my home, pretending I was playing hide and seek with my brother. I remembered being lonely as a child. "I think that you'll really like Beth. She'll love you."

"Beth loves me?" he asked, shocked.

"Of course. You're going to teach her play games and make sure she stays out of trouble. She loves you very much."

He gripped the swing and smiled. "Spider-man is better than Batman."

"He is, and how else will Beth know that unless you tell her?"

We continued to swing until I heard the phone ring inside. I helped him out of the swing, and we walked hand-in-hand back to the house, where Bella was getting her purse together and finding Aaron's jacket.

"Guess what?" She smiled and bent down to Aaron's level. "Beth is here and she wants to meet you."

"We going?" he asked, reaching for his jacket.

"Yup. We're going to meet her." Bella helped him into the coat and then took his hand, leading him to the car.

We had bought infant car seats when they were born and upgraded to the forward facing ones when Aaron and Sophie were big enough. Bella got him buckled in, and I went to the driver's side door, getting in and starting the car.

When we were on the road, Bella whispered to me, "Alice says she's got blond hair."

I smiled and looked in the rearview mirror at Aaron. He was dark headed with Jasper's bright blue eyes. "I bet she's beautiful," I whispered back.

Finally, we pulled into the hospital with Aaron trying to undo his buckles.

"Wait a second. Let me help," Bella said and got out of the car.

We all walked inside, and Bella reminded Aaron to whisper so that we wouldn't disturb any of the sick people inside.

He nodded, looking very serious.

"Aaron?" I asked. When he looked up at me, I said, "Be sure to be sweet to Beth. She's had a long day, all right?"

"I will, E." He smiled.

It didn't take us long to get to the nursery, and when Bella peeked in the door, Aaron pushed it all the way open and walked in. "Momma? Daddy?"

Jasper appeared from behind a curtain, smiling at his son. "Hey, buddy! C'mon, I've got someone who wants to say hi to you."

"Beth?" Aaron lifted his arms, and Jasper picked him up.

We all made our way around the curtain where Alice came into view. She was propped up on the bed, holding a sleepy looking baby.

"Hi." She smiled at us. "Meet Beth Ann."

We looked at the little baby she was holding; Bella squeezed my hand and whispered to me alone, "You're right. She's gorgeous."

I could hear the soft longing in her voice, so I lovingly said back, "We'll just give her all the love we have, sweet girl."

"Alice, she's just beautiful," I offered first. "Looks like more blue eyes."

She laughed. "Definitely more blue eyes."

"Jasper, you're going to have your hands full when she gets older," Bella taunted.

He snorted and shook his head. "I think we'll be all right. You'll help me scare them off, right, Edward?"

"What's the point of having a vampire godfather if I can't scare off teenage boys?" I remarked, and caught Alice's grin. Apparently, that was a good thing.

We stayed a few more minutes, but didn't hold Beth at all. She needed time to adjust to being on the outside before she got used to being held by us. It would be too much for her to handle so soon.

Jasper said that he was going to take Aaron to Emmett and Rose's to keep Sophie company, so we all walked out together.

Outside, Jasper sighed. "I need some fresh air and some quiet for a minute, so I'll sit in the car for about ten minutes after I drop Aaron off, then come back."

Bella looked over at him. "Why?"

"I'm going to be spending the next few months in a constant battle of crying and never staying still - those ten minutes will get me through that." He explained, getting Aaron in his car seat.

"What about Alice?" Bella asked. "She needs that, too."

He smiled and said, "As soon as she's asleep tonight, I'm going to wheel Beth to the nursery, that way she'll get a complete night's sleep. And if we stay again tomorrow night, I'll do the same thing. She'll need the rest."

We watched Jasper drive away and Bella seemed so confused. About halfway home Bella finally spoke, "If we had kids, you'd let me have quiet time, right?"

I laughed loudly and said, "Sweet girl, Jasper will give Alice quiet time after they go home. This is what he's doing beforehand to get him in the mindset of what's coming. It's not that he's not looking forward to it, he's just giving himself a starting point."

"He just made it sound like it was something secretive," Bella said, shaking her head.

"I don't think he meant it like that."

When we arrived home, Bella immediately went to the office and started the computer. I stood behind her, watching as she ordered new sheets, this time with fairies on them.

She turned to me when she was done and shrugged. "She'll need sheets, and I want her to have something pretty. We might need to get two twins or doubles in there because I'm sure we'll be babysitting them at the same time in the future."

I kissed her languidly, making her slow down.

"We'll have plenty of time for that."

It was true.

We'd make our home child-friendly and babysit when needed. We'd protect our friends' children like they were our own.

If things had been different, we would have had our own, but instead, we'd give all the love that we had to Sophie, Aaron, Beth, and any others that came along down the road.

Bella was right, we had a lot of love to give and the kids in our life would never be short of it.

* * *

Thank you for reading :)

I really hoped you liked this look at their in between years.


	32. Chapter 32

**A Private Celebration**

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight

This was meant for last year's FGB: Breaking Dawn. I had my daughter last November and

posting this got forgotten among the diapers and keeping my oldest happy.

I hope you enjoy this :) It is what was on the video that

William and the others find at Edward and Bella's house in Forks.

You know, the naughty one with the icing?

* * *

Bella's birthday wasn't usually an extravagant affair. It wasn't that she didn't like presents…because she did. She just didn't always feel like entertaining. I could understand this - I didn't really want to entertain anyone but her on her birthday, anyway.

This was how I had come to be in the kitchen, the night before her birthday, making cupcakes. I was starting the party early for us, so I wouldn't have to compete for the birthday girl's attention on the actual day.

The actual cupcakes turned out well, as best as I could tell. They looked fluffy and were the exact color as the picture on the website, so I assumed I'd managed it fine. I had used a recipe for the icing that was on the same webpage and added a little food coloring to make it a light pink. I did taste a little of it and it was sweet, just like I imagined icing should taste.

Icing was a funny thing. It dissolved right on my tongue, so I didn't have to throw it up later - and it really didn't taste bad. It was the only human food that I could honestly say I didn't mind putting in my mouth.

I was just starting to ice the cupcakes when I heard Bella coming down the stairs. She'd been in the bathtub, reading and relaxing for a bit while I had started on her surprise. I smiled slowly as she entered the kitchen, laughing softly.

"What are you doing?"

"Baking." I replied, swirling some icing on the top of one of the cooled cupcakes. I turned and noticed she had her new video camera trained on me with a smirk on her face.

"Why?" Bella asked coyly.

I smiled at the camera and held up a piping bag full of icing. "It's your birthday, sweet girl."

She rolled her eyes and said, "Tomorrow is my birthday."

I watched as she placed the camera on the counter and entered the kitchen all the way. Her dark hair was pulled up, and she was wearing sweatpants and a tank top. She looked like she was ready for bed, but the gleam in her eyes told me that she had something else in mind.

I cleared my throat; still my voice was a little rough as I said, "What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't give you a treat on your birthday?"

Bella continued walking toward me as she ran her tongue along her bottom lip. "I think you'd make a delicious treat."

When she was finally in front of me, she took the piping bag out of my hand and set it carefully on the counter. Her hand traced along the edge of the granite and then met my hip, her fingers teasing the edge of my sweatpants.

"What do you think?" she whispered. "Want to be my treat?"

"You don't really think you need to ask that, do you?"

She scooted closer to me until her chest was flush against my own. Her head was tilted up and her lips were brushing mine as she said, "I'd never want to take advantage."

"Oh, please do," I said right before her lips met mine fully.

My hands went to her hips, and I thrust against her as her tongue ran along my bottom lip, before sucking it in between hers. I let her lead the kiss. I was _her_ treat, after all.

Soon her hand on my hip started to tug down the material of my pants. I briefly thought about helping her, but instead I moved my hands from her waist to her hair, pulling the tie out, and brought our lips together more roughly.

As the sweatpants hit the floor, Bella pulled back and smirked. "No boxers?"

I shrugged, pulling my shirt over my head. "I didn't see the point," I said as I pulled her tank top over her head.

Bella stood on her tip toes and brushed kisses along my jaw until she reached my ear and then nipped at my earlobe. "Neither did I."

A growl worked its way out of my throat as I thought about her being bare under her pants, and I wasted no time in finding out if she was being truthful. Her pants dropped to the tile and were kicked away in less than a second before my fingers traced over her wetness.

"Sweet girl, the things I want to do to you," I managed to say as I parted her lips with my forefinger and circled her clit.

Bella leaned forward and rested her chest against mine, while one hand reached behind my back and the other slowly made its way down my stomach. As soon as her hand closed around my cock, I shut my eyes and let my head fall to the side. The intensity of feeling her against me never changed. I could smell lust in the air around us - our own distinct scent. It was so easy to get wrapped up in a moment like this.

"I'm going to have a taste now," she said as she started to lower herself to the floor.

I watched with heavy lids as she licked her lips then brought her finger up and put a stripe of something on the head of my cock.

I choked on air and gripped the counter as she slid her tongue over the line. She brought her finger back and added more to what she'd just licked off, and I couldn't help but laugh a little.

She smiled up at me and closed her lips around the tip, sucking off the icing again.

My hands went to her hair. "I never thought I'd ever have icing on my cock." Instead of getting more icing, she took me all the way into her mouth and started to lick and suck on me. "I guess I never thought I'd see your lips wrapped around my cock, either, after I first met you."

That line of thought was cut off as she took her mouth off of my cock and stroked me with her right hand, while her left hand went to the icing bag on the floor beside my foot. I hadn't even noticed it was there.

Bella traced the line of my hips with the pink frosting and continued to move her hand at a steady pace while she licked and sucked the sugary mess from my body. I tried to slow my reaction down, but I could feel my orgasm approaching much more rapidly than I wanted.

"Bella, I'm almost there," I stuttered out quickly. She went from the skin below my belly button back to my cock, taking me back into her mouth. I gripped her hair a little tighter and tried not to thrust too hard into her mouth. "That's it, sweet girl. So fucking close."

She hummed in acknowledgment right before I hit the back of her throat. The combination caused me to release and tremble as she continued to move along my length.

I sagged back against the counter and tried to stop my labored breathing. Bella kissed her way up my stomach and chest until she pecked my lips softly.

Before she realized it, I had her pinned against the counter. I brought my lips to her neck and started to kiss and nip. My hands were on her breasts, squeezing lightly. I kissed down and over the tops of each, all the while listening to the moans and gasps she was making. I was purposely missing her favorite spots and continuing down her stomach until I was on my knees.

I reached for the bag of icing and stood back up, pressing my eager cock against her stomach.

"My turn," I said as I took the icing and made a small spiral over her nipple. I did the same to the other one and then set the bag on the counter behind her.

"Can you eat this?" she asked, confused and breathless.

"Dissolves right on my tongue. Nothing but sweetness," I answered and bent down, tracing my tongue around her nipple, not taking it into my mouth just yet. Teasing her.

Her fingers twined in my hair and I could feel her try and move me, but I kept the same pace as my hand slipped further down her stomach and over her hip. Finally, when I was right where I wanted to be, I sucked her pink frosted nipple into my mouth and thrust two fingers into her pussy.

Her back arched and she cried out my name as I continued to pump and curl my fingers inside of her. When all the icing was gone from one side, I moved the other side, taking extra care to make sure that all the sweetness was gone when I pulled back.

When I released her peak from my mouth, she grabbed my chin and pulled me up to kiss her. Our tongues tangled, and I felt her start to clench around my fingers. Quickly, I took my hand away from her softness and brought it up to my mouth, licking my fingers clean of her. My own groan of pleasure overshadowed her groan of frustration.

My instincts were taking over, and with a growl, I spun her around and bent her over the counter, scattering the cupcake supplies. "You taste so good, sweet girl." I could still taste her on my lips, sucking the bottom one into my mouth as I thrust hard into her.

Bella gasped at the quickness of it and started pressing her hips back against mine. It was going to be fast and hard - there was no way around it giving how I was feeling. What had started out as playful was turning into one of the most intense sexual experiences we'd ever shard.

I stared in awe as her hair bounced with each thrust and tangled down her back. I couldn't resist - I took one of my hands off her hip and grabbed her hair, twisting it around my wrist and pulling her head back. If possible, I hardened further, seeing her arched back like that.

She turned her head to the side and looked at me briefly before her eyelids fluttered and she moaned low. She was at my mercy, and she trusted me with everything she had to give. Her hands were gripping the counter and her inner muscles were clenching softly, gearing up for a big release. I moved the hand that was holding her hip to wrap around her waist and pulled her close to me before dropping her hair. Bella's face was still turned to the side, so I leaned closer and took her lips with mine, still going as hard as before. When I knew she needed a breath, I leaned my forehead against her temple and listened as her moans and breaths grew louder.

I could tell that she was about to fall over the edge and used my words to give her that final push. "Give it to me, Bella. Come on my cock, sweet girl." She gasped my name and pushed back with more force. "I want to feel it." She started to tremble around me and I groaned out her name as I felt the first wave of her orgasm shudder through her. "Gah, that's it!"

My lips fell to her shoulder, and I sucked the skin there as hard as I dared; ignoring the desire to bite into her soft, pale skin. Soon, I felt the tingling sensation work its way up my body and when Bella threw her head back and called out my name, I gave in to my own release.

By the time we had settled our breathing again, the growl that had been present throughout our lovemaking had toned down into a purr. Bella turned in my arms and my cock slipped out of her body and lay spent against my thigh.

"That was a wonderful birthday present." She kissed my jaw and laid her head on my chest.

My brilliant response came in the form of a grunt.

"Wanna go take another bath with me?" Bella's fingers curled around the hair at the nape of my neck, and I sighed.

"Anything that keeps you naked for a while longer is a good idea to me."

She laughed and started to walk out of the kitchen. I bent down to pick up our clothes and heard her gasp. When I looked up, I saw her turning off the video camera and blushing hard.

I smirked and walked over to her, brushing her hair off her shoulder and kissing the mark I'd left there. "Want to watch this later?"

Bella looked at me with wide eyes. "You'd want to watch that?"

"Fuck yes," I could already picture it. "I bet it's really hot."

"Ummm, okay. We need to make sure we hide this so no one will ever find it after we watch it."

"Bella, I can assure you that no one will ever get their hands on this. I wouldn't want to kill anyone for seeing you like only I get to see you."

She got quiet for a moment and then said, "So, should we take a bath right now or watch this? I mean, what's the point in getting clean, if we're just going to get messy all over again?" The hint of lust was back in her eyes, and I felt myself start to respond again.

"I completely agree. Let's get this set up and see what it looks like."

I took the camera and went into the living room, smiling as I heard her following.

This might be the best birthday ever.

* * *

Thank you to Jen328 for beta'ing and ladysharkey1 and jadsmama for pre-reading and providing me the inspiration to write it.


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